Renesas Electronics Ships First Plastic Packaged, Radiation-Tolerant PWM Controller and GaN FET Driver for New Space SmallSats

Rad-Tolerant ISL71043M and ISL71040M Provide Size and Cost Optimized Power Supply Solution for Small Satellite Mega-Constellations in Low Earth Orbit

TOKYO, Japan ― Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the space industry’s first plastic-packaged, radiation-tolerant PWM controller and Gallium Nitride (GaN) FET driver for DC/DC power supplies in small satellites (smallsats) and launch vehicles. The ISL71043M single-ended current mode PWM controller and ISL71040M low-side GaN FET driver are ideal for isolated flyback and half-bridge power stages, and motor control driver circuits in satellite buses and payloads. Private ‘new space’ companies have begun launching smallsats to form large constellations operating in multiple low Earth orbit (LEO) planes. Smallsat mega-constellations provide global broadband Internet links, as well as high-resolution Earth observation imaging for sea, air, and land asset tracking.