Renesas Unveils First Plastic‑Packaged, Radiation‑Hard PWM Controller & GaN FET Driver for SmallSat Power Systems

Renesas Electronics has introduced the space industry’s inaugural plastic‑packaged, radiation‑tolerant PWM controller and Gallium Nitride FET driver, tailored 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 excel in isolated flyback, half‑bridge power stages, and motor‑control driver circuits within satellite buses and payloads.

Private “new space” firms are deploying large constellations of smallsats across multiple low Earth orbit (LEO) planes, delivering global broadband links and high‑resolution Earth‑observation imaging for sea, air, and land asset tracking. Renesas’ components support these ambitious missions by combining compactness, resilience, and efficiency.

ISL71043M PWM Controller
• 4 mm × 5 mm SOIC plastic package – cuts PCB area by up to 3× versus ceramic equivalents
• 5.5 mA maximum supply current – reduces power loss by more than 3× • Adjustable frequency up to 1 MHz – enables higher efficiency and smaller passive filters • Radiation‑tested to a total ionizing dose of 30 krad(Si) and single‑event effects at 43 MeV·cm²/mg LET • Operates reliably from –55 °C to +125 °C

ISL71040M GaN FET Driver
• Drives Renesas’ rad‑hard GaN FETs in isolated and boost topologies • Supply voltage range 4.5 V–13.2 V, gate drive voltage (VDRV) of 4.5 V • Inverting and non‑inverting inputs with split outputs to fine‑tune turn‑on/turn‑off speeds • High current source/sink capability supports high‑frequency operation • Maintains gate drive voltage within +3 % / –5 % across temperature and radiation exposure • Built‑in floating protection circuitry prevents unintended switching

These components deliver a decisive advantage for space missions demanding compact, low‑power, and radiation‑tolerant power electronics.