Revision 1.0
Development Board
EPC9148
Quick Start Guide
48 V Three-level Synchronous Buck Converter, Using EPC2053
QUICK START GUIDE
EPC9148
EPC – POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LEADER | EPC-CO.COM | ©2021 | | 2
DESCRIPTION
The EPC9148 demonstration board is a 60 V maximum input voltage,
12.5 A maximum output current, 19 V output voltage, ultra-thin three-
level synchronous buck converter with only a 3.5 mm component height.
It features the 40 V EPC2055 and the 100 V EPC2053 and EPC2038
GaN FETs. The purpose of this demonstration board is to simplify the
evaluation of GaN FET-based multi-level synchronous buck converter.
For more information on the GaN-based multilevel topology please
see How2AppNote 015: How to Design an Ultra-thin, Highly Ecient,
Multilevel DC-to-DC Converter.
A simplied block diagram of the EPC9148 development board is shown
in Figure 1. It contains one EPC2053 for Q1, three EPC2055 for Q2-Q4 in the
power stage, and three EPC2038 GaN FETs for the synchronous bootstrap
gate drive circuits with the uPI Semiconductor uP1966A gate drivers.
The board also includes on-board housekeeping power supply, digital
controller, current and voltage sensing, and outputlter. Kelvin sensing
test points of the input and output voltages are provided for accurate
eciency measurement.
For more information on EPC2055, EPC2053 and EPC2038, please refer to
the datasheet available from EPC at epc-co.com. The datasheet should be
read in conjunction with this quick start guide.
Table 1: Performance Summary (T
A
= 25°C) EPC9148
Symbol Parameter Conditions Min Typ Max Units
V
IN
Input Voltage Range
(1)
44 48 60 V
V
OUT
Output Voltage
(2)
19
V
I
OUT
Output Current
(3)
12.5 A
f
SW
Switching frequency 400 kHz
Peak eciency
48 V
IN
, 8-10 A
I
OUT
, 400 LFM
97.9 %
Full load eciency
48 V
IN
, 12.5 A
I
OUT
, 400 LFM
97.8 %
(1) Maximum input voltage depends on inductive loading, maximum drain-source voltage
must be kept under 32 V and 80 V for EPC2055 and EPC2053 respectively. Minimum input
voltage depends on the output voltage. When the output voltage is lower, it can operate
from a lower supply voltage.
(2) Output voltage can be programmed to be 5-20 V, contact EPC for more info.
(3) Maximum current depends on die temperature – actual maximum current is aected
by switching frequency, voltage, thermal cooling, as well as the saturation current of the
inductor.
Top view
EPC9148 development board
Figure 1: Block diagram of the EPC9148 demonstration board
Boot 1
PWM1 G1
Q
1
Q
2
C
FLY
C
IN
L
OUT
Q
3
Q
4
Level shift
Boot 2
PWM2 G2
Level shift
Sync
boot
Boot 3
PWM4
Synchronous bootstrap
(sync boot)
VCC
GND
G
N
V
Boot(N)
V
Boot(N-1)
G3
G4
PWM3
Level shift
Sync
boot
Sync
boot
HV PSU
3V3 for digital
controller and
current amplier
5 V for gate drivers
V
IN
V
OUT
GND
C
OUT
PWM1
PWM2
PWM3
PWM4
VIN_sense
VOUT_sense
VCFLY_sense
IOUT_sense
Digital
controller