Views: 46 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2024-05-31 Origin: Site
With devices and gadgets becoming a necessity rather than a luxury today, the search for high-performance accessories is on the rise. Particularly, there is an increasing need for more powerful chargers that support portability, multi-device charging, high charging speeds, and safe power delivery protocols.
GaN chargers have demonstrated the ability to satisfy these demands. They represent the next phase in the evolution of power delivery (PD) chargers. In this article, you will learn everything about them.
GaN is an acronym for Gallium Nitride. Chargers are made of transistors, a type of semiconductor device responsible for amplifying the current from the power source into usable electricity. In this case, gallium nitride is the material from which these transistors in the charger are made. Therefore, GaN chargers are made using gallium nitride.
Gallium nitride is not the only material used to make transistors for chargers. Besides, GaN is a recent semiconductor material for PD chargers. Silicon is the other material used to make transistors for chargers. GaN chargers have dominated the market because gallium nitride makes them three times as efficient as silicon-based chargers.
If you want to understand GaN chargers deeply, you need to learn about GaN semiconductor technology.
Gallium nitride is a tough and stable wide-band gap semiconductor. Semiconductors are rated based on the size of the bandgap in their structure. In simple terms, bandgap is the amount of energy required to transfer electrons between the connection points in the semiconductor's structure.
The larger the band gap, the more energy can be transferred without any side effects, such as power loss and overheating. This has made GaN chargers able to produce up to 100 Watts without overheating.
GaN semiconductors have been used in applications that require high-temperature tolerance like military applications. Their use in charging technologies has been attributed to their availability and low production cost.
Anyone concerned about efficient energy use needs to care about GaN chargers. One of the main benefits of GaN chargers is that they do not overheat. Normally, overheating occurs due to issues such as energy loss and overcharging, all of which happen if the charger is using poor transistors.
Additionally, overheating occurs when the charger is unable to supply charge at the rate at which the device is demanding. For instance, chargers that do not have fast charging capabilities will overheat when trying to charge phones that support fast charging.
GaN chargers are quickly replacing other types of chargers in the market because of their fast charging capabilities. As a retailer, this means you need to restock and market them highly to customers. We specialize in customizing GaN chargers as part of our power delivery products.
What makes GaN chargers stand out is their superior features and benefits. These features include the following.
Power output depends on the bandgap of the semiconductor material used in the charger’s logic board. GaN chargers produce more power because they use gallium nitride instead of silicon. The gallium nitride also has a higher switching performance than other transistors, which improves the rate of current flow.
The power delivery of regular chargers is inefficient because of issues such as slow speeds, energy loss, and inconsistent charging. Gallium nitride has improved this aspect of PD chargers by making them faster, cooler, and more reliable.
Chargers generate heat during the conversion of alternating current to direct current because the reaction produces heat as a byproduct. While this heat production is inevitable, it contributes to energy loss.
Gallium nitride, a semiconductor, reduces the amount of heat generated by effectively ensuring all power gets converted to usable energy. This is because galium nitride has a high thermal conductivity. Additionally, GaN chargers dissipate heat generated much more efficiently, making them less likely to overheat.
USB-C PD is the most common power delivery charger. Its popularity is attributed to its need for universal compatibility with devices. Using gallium nitride transistors in these chargers is another step in improving the reliability of chargers. USB-C chargers are known for many beneficial features, including compatibility with multiple devices.
What's in for you when you purchase a GaN charger today? Most people want to know this as the markets focus on pushing this alternative to them. Well, some of these benefits will be your answer.
Concerns about safety are valid when using chargers. Factors such as the charging temperature, transistor switching speed, and age of the charger will contribute to this occurrence.
GaN chargers have demonstrated the ability to withstand high-temperature environments and high switching speeds, and their transistors are durable. Therefore, the chances of exploding are minimal. Moreover, these chargers are equipped with sensors to detect when the battery is fully charged and stop overcharging.
The transformer used in GaN chargers is smaller than that used in other chargers. Since the transistors have a high switching speed, they do not need a large transformer so that the charger can be compressed into a smaller body.
Another reason why GaN chargers are small in size is because of the compact nature of the components. Putting the components together is possible because the charger cannot overheat and damage them.
The ability to handle high-power output without any issues opens up the possibility of adding output ports on one charger. You will find that most PD chargers have up to 5 output ports on one adapter. The advantage of this is that you can charge multiple devices concurrently.
Does GaN outperform other common transistors used in chargers? Let us compare it to other common transistors in the market.
MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor. This is a special type of transistor that exhibits high power delivery and low voltage tolerance. Its main difference with GaN is that it is a metal oxide while GaN is a crystalline metal compound.
MOSFET comes close to GaN in terms of properties;
The high bandgap
High switching speeds
High efficiency at low voltage speeds
A common power MOSFET is silicon carbide (SiC), which has a bandgap of about 3 eV. It is an improved version of the older silicon transistors.
The efficiency of silicon-based chargers is at the lowest compared to GaN and high-performance power MOSFETs. In numbers, silicon only has an efficiency rating of 87%, while GaN can go as high as 95%. Silicon also has a smaller bandgap compared to GaN, which makes it less effective at switching and energy flow.
However, significant progress has been made in developing better silicon-based transistors. Super-silicon is changing the perception of silicon chargers with its better conversion, density, and high thermal conductivity.
GaN chargers are setting standards for PD chargers. Their efficient power supply, portability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness make them the ideal choice for anyone looking to purchase a charger. If you are a retailer looking to restock better chargers, click here to contact us for the best quote!
