High-frequency, zero-voltage flyback switching (ZVS) ICs built with GaN technology enable a new class of ultra-compact chargers and have won a 2021 Leap Award in power electronics for chip creator Power Integrations Inc. based in San Jose, Calif.

LEAP Awards honor innovative products across 12 categories. More than 100 entrants were received for the annual competition which celebrates the most innovative and forward-thinking products serving the design engineering space. This year’s winners were chosen by an independent judging panel of 12 engineering and academic professionals.

Called the InnoSwitch4-CZ family, the switches partner with Power Integrations’ ClampZero active clamp ICs with an integrated high-voltage switch that eliminates energy wasted due to switching losses in the clamp and primary switch, while maintaining the flexibility and low component count of the flyback architecture. InnoSwitch4-CZ ICs incorporate a PowiGaN 750-V primary switch, primary and secondary controllers, ClampZero interface, synchronous rectification and safety-rated feedback in a compact InSOP-24D package.

Balu Balakrishnan, CEO of Power Integrations said: “The introduction of the InnoSwitch4-CZ family of ICs marks a significant milestone for GaN technology. PowiGaN switches, in conjunction with our active clamp solution – ClampZero, enable a highly efficient design and an extremely compact form-factor.”

InnoSwitch4-CZ ICs provide variable output voltage and constant current profiles and protect devices, featuring auto-restart or latching fault response for output over-voltage and under-voltage protection, multiple output under-voltage fault thresholds and latching or hysteretic primary over-temperature protection. The steady state switching frequency of up to 140 kHz minimizes transformer size, increasing power density. Compared with older active clamp flyback approaches, InnoSwitch4-CZ and ClampZero deliver up to 95% efficiency, even across line voltage variations, system load and output voltage.