PCIM: GaN motor drive eval kit from CGD and Qorvo

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) has teamed up with Qorvo to build a GaN-based evaluation kit for controlling brushless-dc and permanent magnet synchronous motors.

From Qorvo comes its PAC5556A motor control IC that combines a 150MHz Arm Cortex-M4F processor and 128kbyte of flash, with 600V gate divers, PWMs and multi-chanel data conversion.

CGD is providing its IC-based GaN power hemts that do not need GaN-specific gate drivers – instead they can be fed from gate drivers intended for silicon mosfets and IGBTs. Miller-clamping and current sensing is also integrated.

EVK RD5556GaN will be available for purchase in Q3, but before that it will be on CGD’s stand (643 in hall 7) at PCIM in Nuremberg over 11-13 June. Qorvo will also be there, in the same hall on stand 406. Some design information is available now, added CGD – Electronics Weekly has asked what it is and how it is obtained.

Fabless chip company CGD is a spin-out from Cambridge University.

Qorvo was formed with the merger of TriQuint and RFMD a decade ago.

Find more on the PAC5556A processor-driver IC for motors here