Advancing space power Radiation-Tolerant GaN POL Converter

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High-power component delivers 20 A of continuous current in a compact form factor for New Space and traditional space applications.

Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) has introduced the POL-05-20S-T, a radiation-tolerant point-of-load (POL) converter specifically designed to meet the demanding power requirements of compute-intensive space applications. The new converter uses gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors to deliver an output current of up to 20 A with high efficiency and power density.

The converter is supplied in a compact surface-mount device (SMD) package weighing 25 g and measuring 38.4 × 38.4 × 11.4 mm (1.51 × 1.51 × 0.45 inches). Delivering 20 A of output current within this footprint helps developers address the size, performance and power-consumption challenges associated with increasingly powerful onboard processing systems. The GaN-based design provides high efficiency, high power density and continuous-current capability for demanding space power applications.

“Space developers are increasingly deploying more powerful digital processing systems. This is driving demand for compact power solutions that can respond quickly and operate reliably in harsh environments,” says Ronan Dillon, Senior Director of Microchip’s High-Reliability and RF Business Unit. “The POL-05-20S-T expands our space portfolio with a high-current GaN solution that gives customers high power density, design flexibility and system-level reliability.”

The POL-05-20S-T is designed for high-current applications with rapid load changes, including core voltage rails for FPGAs, microcontrollers, ASICs and other compute-intensive digital loads. It combines a synchronous buck converter with current-mode control to ensure fast transient response and stable operation. With a wide input voltage range of 4.75 to 13.2 V and an adjustable output voltage of 0.7 to 5 V, the converter supports a variety of power rails and system architectures.

Designed for harsh, radiation-intensive environments, the POL-05-20S-T has electrical parameters specified both before and after exposure to a total ionising dose (TID) of up to 50 krad. The converter has been characterised for single-event effects (SEE) at a linear energy transfer (LET) of up to 43 MeV·cm²/mg. It operates at full load across a temperature range of −55 to +100 °C (approx. -131 to 212°F), supporting systems exposed to substantial temperature fluctuations throughout a mission.

To ensure reliable power delivery, the POL-05-20S-T features remote monitoring, under-voltage and over-voltage protection, soft-start, an enable pin and a power-good output to indicate correct operating status. Its adjustable output voltage, wide input voltage range and controlled output voltage reduction under increasing load (droop control) help developers tailor the converter to high-current loads requiring precise voltage regulation and fast transient response.

Microchip offers a comprehensive portfolio of space solutions that forms part of a complete offering for spacecraft system developers. These include EMI filters, DC/DC converters, POL regulators, discrete components, FPGAs and PIC64 HPSC high-performance processors. Drawing on extensive experience, this portfolio helps customers simplify development, reduce design risks and accelerate the deployment of mission-critical space systems.

Further information about Microchip’s space solutions is available on the company’s Aerospace and Defence website.