Lighting revolutionised with built-in driver for higher power LED bulbs

Update: November 4, 2021

GaN Systems has stated that the Philips SON-T tubular 17W and 26W LED bulbs feature GaN Systems power transistors. These products offer a groundbreaking design that presents an innovative GaN-based driver built into the LED bulb, resolving the technical problems of applying conventional glasswork in a high-power LED bulb application. The outcome is a lower cost, higher power, and more energy-efficient LED lighting solution.

Initially, Signify’s built-in driver design was restricted to its 8-10W full glass LED bulbs. To achieve this design for higher watt LEDs, the company changed from silicon to GaN power semiconductors. This particular innovation centres around the GaN-based AC/DC PFC circuit built into the E27 screw in the bulb. The driver utilises the company’s 650V transistors (GS-065-004-1-L and GS-065-011-1-L).

The attributes of GaN, such as high switching frequency, coupled with its advanced technology and packaging, enable Signify to achieve this design beyond 8-10W bulbs with no worry about size and performance tradeoffs.

These new SON-T LED bulbs readily replace Signify’s legacy High-Pressure Sodium bulbs. They are excellent for road and residential lighting, indoor and outdoor recreational sports facilities, decorative floodlighting, and other commercial and industrial applications.

“GaN Systems is proud to be a part of this LED driver breakthrough with Signify,” said Jim Witham, CEO at GaN Systems. “This signals GaN’s continued preference in more markets as well as GaN’s ability to raise performance to levels previously unachievable in so many applications.”