TI expands lowpower GaN portfolio, enabling AC to DC power adapters to shrink fifty percent

Company Name	Texas Instruments
Industry	Semiconductor
Founded	1930
Headquarters	Dallas, Texas, United States
Key People	Richard K. Templeton (Chairman, President, CEO)
Products	Semiconductors, Educational Technology, Software, Calculators
Revenue	$14.4 billion (FY 2020)
Website	https://www.ti.com

Texas Instruments Expands Low-Power GaN Portfolio, Enabling AC to DC Power Adapters to Shrink Fifty Percent

August 10, 2023

In a groundbreaking development, Texas Instruments (TI) has announced the expansion of its low-power Gallium Nitride (GaN) portfolio, significantly enhancing the efficiency of AC to DC power adapters. With this innovation, TI has succeeded in cutting down the size of power adapters by a staggering fifty percent, revolutionizing the electronics industry.

GaN has emerged as a leading semiconductor technology, enabling greater power efficiency and higher power densities. By utilizing GaN in power electronics solutions, companies can enhance the performance, reduce energy loss, and minimize the physical size of power conversion systems.

TI's low-power GaN portfolio has seen remarkable advancements, enabling power designers to develop smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient AC to DC adapters. This breakthrough technology addresses the increasing demand for compact power adapters in various applications, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and IoT devices.

The significant reduction in dimensions of power adapters not only enhances portability but also allows for space optimization within electronic devices. Smaller power adapters contribute to streamlined product designs while delivering the same level of power and reliability.

The improved efficiency in power conversion by TI's GaN portfolio results in reduced energy consumption and subsequently lowers the carbon footprint. This aligns with the global drive towards sustainable and environmentally conscious practices.

Furthermore, the smaller size of power adapters results in reduced packaging materials and shipping costs. This not only contributes to cost savings for manufacturers but also aids in minimizing waste generation throughout the supply chain.

TI's expansion in the low-power GaN space reinforces their commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower the electronics industry. By integrating GaN technology into power adapters, TI is fostering a future with more compact, energy-efficient, and sustainable electronic devices.

As the demand for smaller, high-performance electronics continues to surge, TI's low-power GaN portfolio is positioned to drive the next wave of innovation in power management and propel a new era of compact and sustainable devices.

Question | Answer -------- | ------ What did Texas Instruments (TI) announce today? | TI announced the expansion of its low-power gallium nitride (GaN) portfolio. What are the goals of the expansion? | The expansion aims to improve power density, maximize system efficiency, and shrink the size of AC/DC consumer power electronics and industrial systems. What thermal design challenges does TI's GaN field-effect transistors (FETs) address? | TI's GaN FETs help keep adapters cooler while pushing more power in a smaller footprint. According to Kannan Soundarapandian, what do today's consumers want in power adapters? | Today's consumers want smaller, lighter, and more portable power adapters that also provide fast, energy-efficient charging. What are some examples of applications that can benefit from TI's portfolio expansion? | Examples include mobile phone and laptop adapters, TV power-supply units, USB wall outlets, power tools, and server auxiliary power supplies. Which GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers are included in the new portfolio? | The new portfolio includes the LMG3622, LMG3624, and LMG3626. What advantage does the integrated current sensing feature of TI's GaN FETs offer? | It eliminates the need for an external shunt resistor, reducing associated power losses by up to 94%. What efficiency levels can be reached with TI's GaN FETs in AC/DC applications? | Up to 94% system efficiency can be achieved for <75-W applications and over 95% for >75-W applications. How much can the solution size of a typical 67-W power adapter be reduced using TI's GaN FETs? | The solution size can be reduced by up to 50% compared to silicon-based solutions. How long has TI been investing in manufacturing GaN technology? | TI has been investing in manufacturing GaN technology for more than 10 years.

Texas Instruments (TI) has announced the expansion of its low-power gallium nitride (GaN) portfolio, which aims to enhance power density, increase system efficiency, and decrease the size of AC/DC consumer power electronics and industrial systems. The new GaN field-effect transistors (FETs) with integrated gate drivers tackle common thermal design challenges by maintaining cooler adapters while delivering more power in a smaller footprint. For further details, visit TI.com/LMG3622.

According to Kannan Soundarapandian, the general manager of High Voltage Power at TI, today's consumers demand smaller, lighter, and more portable power adapters that offer fast and energy-efficient charging. With TI's expanded portfolio, the advantages of low-power GaN technology in terms of power density can now be harnessed in various everyday applications like mobile phone and laptop adapters, TV power-supply units, and USB wall outlets. Importantly, TI's portfolio also caters to the increasing demand for compact and highly efficient designs in industrial systems such as power tools and server auxiliary power supplies.

The new line of GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers, including the LMG3622, LMG3624, and LMG3626, boasts the industry's most accurate integrated current sensing. This functionality eliminates the need for an external shunt resistor, leading to a reduction of power losses by up to 94% compared to conventional current-sensing circuits employed in discrete GaN and silicon FETs. Additionally, TI's GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers facilitate faster switching speeds, preventing adapters from overheating. System efficiency of up to 94% can be achieved for AC/DC applications below 75-W or above 95% for AC/DC applications above 75-W. Compared to silicon-based solutions, these new devices can decrease the solution size of a typical 67-W power adapter by up to 50%.

TI's GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers are optimized for the most common topologies in AC/DC power conversion, such as quasi-resonant flyback, asymmetrical half bridge flyback, inductor-inductor-converter, totem-pole power factor correction, and active clamp flyback. For more information regarding the benefits of TI GaN in common AC/DC power topologies, refer to the technical article titled "The benefits of low-power GaN in common AC/DC power topologies."

TI has a long-standing commitment to GaN manufacturing, with globally owned and regionally diverse internal manufacturing operations across 15 sites worldwide. With over 10 years of investment in GaN technology manufacturing, TI plans to produce more than 90% of its products internally by 2030, ensuring reliable capacity for customers in the years to come.

The LMG3622 and LMG3626 are currently available for purchase on TI.com/GaN, while the LMG3624 is in pre-production quantities. Pricing starts at $3.18 for 1,000-unit quantities. These devices are offered in an 8-mm-by-5.3-mm, 38-pin quad flat no-lead package. Evaluation modules, such as the LMG3624EVM-081, start at $250. Multiple payment and shipping options are available. Similarly, pin-to-pin devices without integrated current sensing, namely LMG3612 and LMG3616, are also obtainable.

Technical Details
Topic	"TI expands low-power GaN portfolio, enabling AC to DC power adapters to shrink fifty percent"
Description	Texas Instruments (TI) has expanded its low-power gallium nitride (GaN) portfolio, which allows AC to DC power adapters to be reduced in size by 50%.
GaN Technology	Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide bandgap semiconductor material that offers superior performance in power electronics applications compared to traditional silicon-based technology. It allows for higher efficiency, faster switching speeds, and higher power density.
Benefits	The expansion of TI's low-power GaN portfolio brings several benefits, including:
	Smaller Size: By utilizing GaN technology, AC to DC power adapters can be reduced in size by 50%, making them more compact and space-efficient. Efficiency: GaN technology enables power electronics to operate with higher efficiency, resulting in less energy loss and reduced power consumption. Faster Switching: The superior switching capabilities of GaN transistors allow for faster operation, leading to improved performance in power applications. Higher Power Density: GaN devices can handle higher voltages and currents, which enables the design of power products with higher power densities.
Applications	The expanded low-power GaN portfolio from TI can be utilized in various AC to DC power adapter applications, including:
	Mobile Devices Laptops and Ultrabooks Consumer Electronics Smart Home Devices Industrial Equipment Telecommunications Automotive And more