• Infineon Technologies Launches CoolSiC™ 750V G2 MOSFETs to Boost Efficiency and Power Density in Automotive and Industrial Applications

    Infineon Technologies Launches CoolSiC™ 750V G2 MOSFETs to Boost Efficiency and Power Density in Automotive and Industrial Applications

    2 Min Read

    Infineon Technologies AG launched its new CoolSiC™ MOSFET 750 V G2 technology, designed to deliver improved system efficiency and increased power density in automotive and industrial power conversion applications. The CoolSiC MOSFETs 750 V G2 technology offers a granular portfolio with typical R DS(on) values up to 60 mΩ at 25°C, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including on-board chargers (OBCs), DC-DC converters, auxiliaries for electric vehicles (xEVs) as well as industrial applications in EV charging, solar inverter, energy storage systems, telecom and SMPS.

    The ultra-low R DS(on) values 4 and 7 mΩ enable outstanding performance in static-switching applications, making the MOSFETs a perfect choice for applications such as eFuse, high-voltage battery disconnect switches, solid-state circuit breakers, and solid-state relays. The best-in-class lowest R DS(on) 4 mΩ is featured in Infineon’s innovative top-side cooled Q-DPAK package, which is designed to provide optimal thermal performance and reliability.

    The technology also exhibits excellent R DS(on) x Q OSS and best-in-class R DS(on) x Q fr, contributing to reduced switching loss in both hard-switching and soft-switching topologies with superior efficiency in hard-switching user cases. With reduced gate charge, the technology allows for faster switching and reduces gate drive losses, making them more efficient in high-frequency applications.

    Additionally, the CoolSiC MOSFETs 750 V G2 offer a combination of high threshold voltage V GS(th),typ of 4.5 V at 25°C and ultra-low Q GD/Q GS ratio, which reinforce robustness against parasitic turn-on (PTO). Furthermore, the technology allows for extended gate driving capabilities, supporting static gate voltages of up to -7 V and transient gate voltages of up to -11 V. This enhanced voltage tolerance provides engineers with greater design margins and best compatibility with other devices in the market.

    The CoolSiC 750 V G2 delivers unparalleled switching performance, great ease-of-use and superior reliability with firm adherence to AEC Q101 standards for automotive-grade parts and JEDEC standard for industrial-grade parts. It enables a more efficient, compact and cost-effective designs to fulfill the ever‑growing market needs and underscores its commitment to reliability and longevity in safety-critical automotive applications.

    Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFET 750 V G2 Q-DPAK 4/7/16/25/60 mΩ samples are available to order. More information is available at www.infineon.com/coolsic-750v

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  • WeEn Semiconductors Unveils 2000V HV Rectifier Series with Industry-Leading Efficiency for EV Fast Charging and Renewable Energy Systems

    WeEn Semiconductors Unveils 2000V HV Rectifier Series with Industry-Leading Efficiency for EV Fast Charging and Renewable Energy Systems

    2 Min Read

    WeEn Semiconductors announced the launch of its 2000V High-Voltage (HV) series of standard rectifiers. Designed to address the evolving demands of high-voltage systems, these rectifiers achieve a 5% reduction in forward voltage drop (VF) and a 20% improvement in thermal resistance compared to competing solutions. The innovations enable significant efficiency gains, lower cooling costs and extended operational lifespans in renewable energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging applications.

    The 2000V HV series integrates a proprietary single-chip design to minimize conduction losses with an optimized ORing circuit that enhances thermal management. This combination ensures reliable performance in 1500V bus systems and 1000VDC EV charging infrastructure, where voltage spikes and stray inductance pose risks to component longevity. Additional advantages include:

    • High Junction Temperature (Tjmax): Operates up to 150°C, ensuring stability in demanding environments.
    • Superior Surge Current (IFSM) Tolerance: Enhances robustness under dynamic load conditions.
    • TO247-2L Packaging: Streamlines integration into high-power designs.

    Two initial variants are available: the 60A-rated WND60P20W and the 90A-rated WND90P20W. These devices are engineered to mitigate voltage spikes in fast-changing EV charging loads, safeguarding systems against failure while improving power density.

    “The WND90P20W and WND60P20W resolve critical thermal and efficiency challenges in next-gen renewable energy and EV charging systems,” said Kevin Shen, President of WeEn Semiconductors. “By redefining voltage redundancy and thermal performance, we empower customers to deploy high-efficiency, low-maintenance solutions that outpace industry standards.”

    The 2000V HV rectifiers are now available globally in TO247-2L packages. Target applications include solar PV inverter and storage systems, DC fast EV chargers, and industrial power systems requiring high voltage endurance and reliability.

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  • Wise Integration and Savoy International to Debut 7kW SiC EV Onboard Charger with WiseWare Digital Control at PCIM 2025

    Wise-integration and Savoy International to Debut 7kW SiC EV Onboard Charger with WiseWare Digital Control at PCIM 2025

    3 Min Read

    Wise-integration will break new ground at PCIM Europe 2025, May 6–8 in Nuremberg. In collaboration with Savoy International Group, the company will debut its digital controller of a silicon carbide (SiC) power demonstrator model, underscoring its expansion into complementary wide-bandgap (WBG) technologies and showcasing its WiseWare® digital controller’s universality and adaptability across those technologies.

    This marks a new market entry for Wise-integration—in particular, targeting SiC-based high-voltage applications in automotive and industrial sectors—while reinforcing that WiseWare® can serve as a common digital intelligence layer regardless of the underlying semiconductor material.

    The WiseWare® 1 OBC SIC 7kW power demonstrator model builds on the company’s core expertise in GaN-based systems and digital control ICs, reinforcing its commitment to advancing the full spectrum of power semiconductor technologies. This cross-compatible, digital control solution for both GaN and SiC, enables flexible, efficient, and intelligent power systems across multiple WBG platforms.

    “This demonstration of a silicon-carbide onboard charger (OBC) marks an important step in Wise-integration’s journey toward the automotive market,” said CEO Thierry Bouchet. “By showing that WiseWare® can reliably control high-voltage, high-power systems in an EV-relevant application, we’re validating our digital control platform as a strong candidate for next-generation onboard chargers. It’s a first step toward demonstrating that our technology is scalable, adaptable, and aligned with the needs of future EV platforms.”

    The demonstrator is a prototype product for the company’s partner, Savoy International Group, a Tier 1 automotive supplier, whose e-mobility division collaborated with Wise-integration on a  GaN charger embedded in e-bike batteries in 2023.

    “This prototype has been developed specifically to support the electrification of Savoy’s innovative, light electric vehicles under the KILOW brand, as well as their broader ambition to promote fun, accessible, and sustainable mobility solutions,” Bouchet explained.

    “Our previous collaboration with Wise-integration on the embedded GaN charger for our e-bike battery met all of our expectations for performance and helps us differentiate KILOW in a crowded field,” said Émile Allamand, CEO of Savoy Group. “The SiC onboard charger will enable us to diversify our EV offerings with a  light, four-wheel vehicle under our KILOW brand.”

    SiC technology delivers excellent thermal performance and is highly efficient under heavy loads—making it ideal for high-power components like traction inverters and fast chargers. Its ruggedness and maturity also contribute to its reliability in the demanding automotive environment. WiseWare®’s SiC demonstration shows that the company’s digital control platform is technology-agnostic, and can bring the same performance, modularity, and intelligence to SiC systems as it does to GaN systems.

    Visit Wise-integration at Hall 6, Booth 450, to see how SiC solutions complement its award-winning GaN-based WiseWare® platform. The company will also share updates on key partnerships and its technology roadmap during the event.

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  • SemiQ to Showcase Third-Generation SiC Technology and Expanded 1200V MOSFET Portfolio at PCIM 2025

    SemiQ to Showcase Third-Generation SiC Technology and Expanded 1200V MOSFET Portfolio at PCIM 2025

    2 Min Read

    SemiQ Inc will showcase several advances relating to high power SiC MOSFETs and modules at PCIM 2025.

    PCIM takes place in Nuremberg from the 6th to the 8th May, with SemiQ partnering with alfatec to demonstrate its technology, which can be seen in Hall 4A, Booth 109 throughout the show.

    This will include SemiQ’s recently launched third-generation SiC technologies and a wide range of modules to optimize systems for cost, resistance and thermal management. SiC technologies on display at PCIM will include:

    1200 V SOT-227 MOSFET modules

    Based on SemiQ’s third-generation SiC, these modules are available with an RDSon of 8.4 to 39 mΩ and deliver exceptional switching speeds and reduced losses with low junction to case thermal resistance.

    Automotive-qualified QSiC 1200 V MOSFETs

    The QSiC 1200 V MOSFETs are available in a bare die and TO-247 4L package and have received AEC-Q101 qualification for automotive systems. The third-generation SiC devices enable smaller die sizes while improving switching speeds and efficiency and are available with an RDSon between 16 and 80 mΩ.

    1200 V full-bridge modules for solar inverters, energy storage and battery charging

    SemiQ’s family of full-bridge modules deliver up to 333 W of power with a continuous drain of up to 102 A and sets a new standard for power density and efficiency in demanding DC applications.

    1200 V six-pack modules for cost-optimized systems

    Tested to over 1350 V, with 100% wafer-level burn in, SemiQ’s six-pack modules enable lower cost and more-compact system-level designs at large scale. Applications include AC/DC converters, energy storage systems, battery charging, motor drives and PFC boost converters, including EV fast charging.

    To organize a meeting at PCIM, please contact media@semiq.com.

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  • Forge Nano Secures $40M to Scale U.S. Battery Manufacturing and Semiconductor Equipment Operations

    Forge Nano Secures $40M to Scale U.S. Battery Manufacturing and Semiconductor Equipment Operations

    3 Min Read

    Forge Nano, Inc. announced the successful close of $40 million in new funding. The funding was co-led by RockCreek, a global investment firm managing over $15 billion in assets with a strong focus on energy innovation, critical supply chains and advanced manufacturing, and Ascent Funds, a US based global energy technology fund. Additional participants include Top Material (KRX: 360070), Orion Infrastructure Capital and Forge Nano’s existing investors.

    With this latest raise, Forge Nano’s total capital investment now exceeds $140 million, adding RockCreek to a shareholder roster that includes GM Ventures (NYSE: GM), Volkswagen (OTC: VWAGY), LG Technology Ventures (KRX: 003550), Hanwha (KRX: 000880), Mitsui Kinzoku (OTC: MMSMY), Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (OTC: SSUMF), Air Liquide (OTC: AIQUY), Catalus Capital and SBI Investment (OTC: SBHGF).

    “RockCreek’s commitment to American manufacturing, energy security and global technology leadership makes them an ideal partner as we continue to scale,” said Paul Lichty, CEO of Forge Nano. “This capital allows us to build on our momentum in two crucial industries needed for U.S. manufacturing leadership – lithium-ion batteries and semiconductors. We look forward to expanding our domestic workforce as we scale our production capabilities and grow our customer base.”

    Forge Nano operates two high-growth business units that can directly impact the United States’ advanced manufacturing competitiveness:

    1. U.S.-Made, High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries:
      Forge Battery, the commercial lithium-ion battery production subsidiary of Forge Nano, designs and manufactures lithium-ion cells with industry-leading energy density that incorporate critical minerals coated using Forge Nano’s Atomic ArmorTM technology. Manufactured using a predominately U.S. material supply chain, the company’s battery products are tailored to provide a secure supply chain and industry leading performance for defense, aerospace and specialty applications. In January 2025, Forge Battery was awarded $100 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to expand domestic cell manufacturing at its North Carolina facility.
    2. Advanced Semiconductor ALD Capital Equipment:
      Forge Nano’s TEPHRA™ platform, launched in mid-2024, is the world’s fastest single-wafer semiconductor ALD coating tool with commercial throughput for 200mm wafers. TEPHRA™ produces cutting-edge nano-coatings that can unlock chips with 40% faster processing speeds with 50% reduced power consumption, addressing the industry’s growing demand for next-gen devices, sensors, and edge AI computing. The company’s atomic layer deposition (ALD) tools are engineered and built in the U.S., bolstering America’s domestic semiconductor capabilities.

    “Forge Nano’s proprietary technology demonstrates that America continues to be the leader in innovation. Forge’s Atomic Armor significantly improves most battery chemistries with higher energy density, longer cycle life, faster charge speed, and lower risk of thermal runway,” said Mark Gordon, Managing Partner of Ascent Funds. “For semiconductors, Forge’s ALD removes a bottleneck to 3D chip stacking, allowing up to a 50% reduction in energy usage by chips. More efficient batteries are critical to national security.  More efficient semiconductors will amplify the American lead in AI.”

    Forge Nano recently installed a new state-of-the-art battery manufacturing line and a  cleanroom production facility for semiconductor ALD tool production, both located at its Colorado headquarters. Forge Nano expects the $40 million investment will be utilized for further domestic manufacturing expansion, as well as to bolster its workforce to support the company’s growing network of strategic partners and customers.

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  • AOS Launches MEGA-IPM7 Series Intelligent Power Modules to Boost Efficiency and Reliability in Motor Drive Applications

    AOS Launches MEGA-IPM7 Series Intelligent Power Modules to Boost Efficiency and Reliability in Motor Drive Applications

    2 Min Read

    Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) announced its Mega IPM7 series intelligent power modules. Offering a highly efficient, compact, and durable design, this new series is optimized for brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive-based designs, including home appliance applications such as air-conditioners, refrigerators, dishwashers, and power tools.

    The Mega IPM7 series is AOS’ new generation of intelligent power modules engineered to improve application performance and deliver increased power density all in a rugged, compact footprint that meets increasing space-constrained inverter design requirements. This energy-efficient power module also aids in enhancing the cost-effectiveness of fan motor applications. In addition, the advanced features of the Mega IPM7 series enable it to quickly and accurately detect module temperature, helping achieve highly reliable and long lifetime operation.

    The Mega IPM7 series is offered in multiple packages, including the Mega IPM7-DT, the Mega7 DBC, and the Mega7 exposed package, allowing customers to select the package that best suits their heat dissipation performance specifications and other application-specific requirements.

    “AOS is committed to staying ahead of our customers’ needs for increased power density and efficiency to help them meet market demands for greater performance, long lifetime, and rugged operation. The introduction of the Mega IPM7 series is specifically designed to boost the competitive advantages of BLDC-based applications. What’s more, AOS gives designers numerous package options to choose the one that ideally meets their performance needs,” said Dino Ge, Marketing Director of IGBT/IPM at AOS.

    Technical Highlights

    • 600V/1A – 600V/3A
    • Compact package: 18mm x 7.5mm
    • DBC technology
    • 3-phase RC-IGBT inverter topology for motor drives
    • Integrated HVIC gate driver including bootstrap circuit
    • Integrated over-temperature protection and monitoring functions

    Product Selection Table

    Part NumberPackageInput LogicRated Voltage (V)VCE(SAT) Typ. (V)
    AIM7DT3AR60V3IPM-7DAActive High6001.5
    AIM7E1AR60V1IPM-7AActive High6002.0
    AIM7ET1AR60V1IPM-7BActive High6002.0
    AIM7DT1AR60V3IPM-7DAActive High6002.0

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  • EPC to Showcase Cutting-Edge GaN Power Solutions at PCIM Europe 2025

    EPC to Showcase Cutting-Edge GaN Power Solutions at PCIM Europe 2025

    3 Min Read

    EPC will exhibit its latest advancements in high-performance GaN technology at PCIM Europe 2025, taking place 6–8 May in Nuremberg, Germany.

    Visit EPC in Hall 9, Stand 318 to see a wide array of GaN-based power solutions powering next-generation applications—from high-density computing to motor drives for humanoid robots, automotive electrification, and satellites. Live demonstrations will highlight EPC’s latest GaN FETs and ICs in real-world applications that emphasize smaller size, higher efficiency, and lower cost compared to silicon solutions.

    Motor Drives: Powering Robotics, Automation, and More

    From industrial automation to smart consumer devices, GaN-based motor drives offer higher efficiency, smaller size, and improved performance compared to traditional silicon solutions. EPC’s latest GaN technology powers motor drive applications across a wide range of industries, including:

    • Humanoids & Quadrupeds – Enabling next-generation robotics with faster response times, lighter joints, and greater energy efficiency.
    • Drone Motors – Delivering longer flight times, compact size, and precise control through high-speed switching.
    • Power Tools – Extending battery life and increasing torque with compact, high-efficiency GaN motor drives.
    • Vacuum Cleaners & Delivery Robots – Empowering smarter, more autonomous systems with high power density and thermal performance.

    48 V = GaN: Powering the Future of High-Density Computing

    Today’s high-density computing environments demand compact, efficient power solutions to meet rising performance and thermal requirements. EPC’s latest GaN technology for AC/DC server power and 48 V DC-DC power conversion delivers reduced losses, increased power density, enhanced thermal performance, and best-in-class efficiency—enabling more computing in less space.

    Visit EPC at PCIM Europe 2025:

    • Schedule a Meeting: EPC’s technical experts, including CEO Dr. Alex Lidow, will be on-site to discuss how GaN is driving innovation across multiple industries. To schedule a meeting during PCIM contact info@epc-co.com
    • Exhibition Booth Hall 9, Stand 513: Visit EPC’s booth to explore our comprehensive portfolio of GaN-based solutions and applications.
    • Technical Presentations: Attend our technical sessions to gain insights into the latest trends and advancements in GaN power conversion technology.
      • GaN-Based 5 kW Four-Level Totem-Pole PFC Converter for AI Servers Power Supply; Speaker: Marco Palma
      • Bodo’s Power Systems – GaN Expert Panel at PCIM 2025; Panelist: Alex Lidow, Ph.D.
      • 5 kW Isolated 400 V to 50 V, DC-DC Converter for Server Power Supplies; Speaker: Michael de Rooij, Ph.D.
      • Design of GaN FET-Based Multilevel Three-Phase Inverter for High Voltage Automotive Applications; Speaker: Fabio Mandrile, Polytechnical University of Turin
      • Next Generation GaN Platform for High-Density DC-DC Converters; Speaker: Alex Lidow, Ph.D.

    “PCIM Europe is the ideal stage to show how EPC’s GaN is transforming power electronics—from server power to robotics, we’re helping engineers unlock the full potential of wide bandgap solutions,” said Nick Cataldo, VP of Sales and Marketing at EPC.

    Original – Efficient Power Conversion

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  • Rohde & Schwarz to Showcase Advanced SiC and GaN Power Electronics Test Solutions at PCIM 2025

    Rohde & Schwarz to Showcase Advanced SiC and GaN Power Electronics Test Solutions at PCIM 2025

    4 Min Read

    Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its latest solutions and advanced techniques for testing and analyzing power electronic systems and components at PCIM Expo 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany. At the company’s booth (hall 7, booth 166), the spotlight will be on solutions utilizing the company’s cutting-edge test instruments to address the challenges of debugging next generation wide bandgap semiconductors like GaN and SiC.

    Rigorous testing and advanced characterization methods help design engineers enhance the performance, efficiency, and reliability of their power electronic designs based on SiC and GaN devices, used in pioneering industries like e-mobility, renewable energy or AI data centers. Rohde & Schwarz will bring a selection of its comprehensive T&M portfolio to booth 166 in hall 7 of PCIM Expo 2025, taking place from May 6 to 8 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Center. The test solutions are tailored for power electronics applications where high efficiency, fast switching speeds, improved power density and high-temperature operation matter.

    At the center of the presented setups will be the R&S RT-ZISO isolated probing system from Rohde & Schwarz. This next generation isolated probe has set new standards with unprecedented accuracy, sensitivity, dynamic range and bandwidth for wide bandgap (WBG) power designs with SiC and GaN. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase the advantage of the Isolated probing system over single-ended probes in a setup to investigate the switching behavior of a GaN-MosFET.

    Double pulse testing is a method for evaluating the switching performance of SiC and GaN based power devices. Rohde & Schwarz is collaborating with industry expert PE-Systems GmbH for a stable and accurate approach to double pulse testing using the R&S®MXO 5 next generation oscilloscope from Rohde & Schwarz with eight channels in combination with the R&S RT-ZISO. At PCIM, visitors can experience accurate, reliable and fast double pulse testing on 1200 V SiC devices from Wolfspeed, typically used as traction inverters in the automotive industry.

    Loadjump testing used to be a time-consuming manual process to verify a Buck converter’s load step response at varying input voltage levels, using only a few reference points. For this application, as well, Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with PE-Systems GmbH, who offers a test automation software. In combination with the MXO 5 oscilloscope and the R&S RT-ZISO isolated probing system, this solution not only reduces overall testing time but also maintains the same number of test points. At PCIM, the companies demonstrate automated loadjump testing of a Buck converter of Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. within a voltage range of 6V to 60V. The setup even allows for more reference points within the same timeframe and can be extended to include temperature control, facilitating the full automation of input voltage, load current, and temperature profile variations.

    Rohde & Schwarz will also showcase its solutions for component characterization. The R&S®LCX LCR meters with customized impedance measurement functions are suitable for all discrete passive components up to 10 MHz. Users can easily characterize the voltage dependence of capacitances in core components of power converters like MLCCs with the R&S LCX. Combined with a sweep software tool, users can perform comprehensive sweep measurements and display them in numerous charts. The MFIA impedance analyzer from Zurich Instruments AG (a subsidiary since 2021) is capable of impedance spectroscopy for both low impedance components such as shunt resistors and DC-link capacitors and high impedance systems. It offers measurement modes for impedance analysis over frequency and time as well as other features such as integrated oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer capabilities.

    Dr. Philipp Weigell, Vice President of the Industry, Components, Research & University Market Segment at Rohde & Schwarz, explains: “PCIM Expo is an important venue for us to highlight our advancements in wide bandgap semiconductor testing. Testing plays a critical role to improve power efficiency, reduce size, and manage heat more effectively in power conversion applications used in AI data centers, for instance. Through collaboration with industry experts and with our advanced testing solutions we enable our customers to develop reliable and efficient systems that meet the rigorous demands of modern data processing applications.”

    Rohde & Schwarz will present these and other advanced test solutions at PCIM Expo 2025, from May 6 to 8, at booth 166, hall 7 of Nuremberg Exhibition Center. For more information on power electronics test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz, visit: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/power-electronics

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  • Fraunhofer IAF Unveils 1200V Monolithic GaN Bidirectional Switch for EVs and Renewable Energy at PCIM 2025

    Fraunhofer IAF Unveils 1200V Monolithic GaN Bidirectional Switch for EVs and Renewable Energy at PCIM 2025

    5 Min Read

    Fraunhofer IAF has developed a monolithic bidirectional switch with a blocking voltage of 1200 V using its GaN-on-insulator technology. The switch contains two free-wheeling diodes and can deliver performance and efficiency benefits in bidirectional chargers and drives for electric vehicles as well as in systems for generating and storing renewable energy. The results will be presented together with other developments in power electronics from May 6 to 8, 2025, at PCIM Europe in Nuremberg.

    Technological innovations in power electronics are not only essential for the success of the energy transition, they also provide sustainable support for economic development in Europe. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF develops power electronic components based on the wide-bandgap compound semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) to enable further developments in electric mobility, the energy industry, and climate technology.

    Most recently, Fraunhofer IAF has made significant progress in high-voltage and low-voltage components: At PCIM Europe 2025, researchers will present a highly integrated bidirectional switch (MBDS) with a blocking voltage of 1200 V. They will also demonstrate the use of a conventional GaN transistor with a gate contact as a bidirectional switch in a 3-level T-type converter. Both results were achieved as part of the GaN4EmoBiL project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

    “Geopolitical challenges such as the current tariff conflicts are an opportunity for European economies to gain technological advantages in the key areas of energy generation and mobility by developing their own solutions in power electronics,” emphasizes Achim Lösch, Business Developer for High Frequency and Power Electronics at Fraunhofer IAF.

    “The added value of innovative power electronics is obvious: Achieving more power, better efficiency, and greater compactness at the same time advances the relevant technologies of the future: Electric cars charge faster and energy from renewable sources can be converted and stored more efficiently. At Fraunhofer IAF, we are working intensively to provide positive impetus in these important areas through innovative GaN-based components,” explains Lösch.

    Researchers at Fraunhofer IAF have developed a GaN MBDS suitable for the 1200 V voltage class with integrated free-wheeling diodes and successfully integrated it into their own GaN technology. The researchers used the new GaN-on-insulator technology of Fraunhofer IAF for the manufacturing: Highly insulating materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and sapphire are used as the carrier substrate for the GaN power semiconductor to improve the insulation between the components and increase the breakdown voltage.

    The MBDS blocks voltage and conducts current in two directions, which saves chip space and reduces conduction losses as there is only one split depletion region. The GaN MBDS can be used in grid-connected power converters for energy generation and storage as well as electric drive systems. In these applications, the MBDS enables the development of systems in the 1200 V class.

    Developers are working intensively on electric vehicles in this voltage class as increasing blocking voltages offer significant advantages in terms of everyday usability: Charging power increases and energy losses during operation decrease as a result of lower resistance. Electric cars with 400 V currently dominate the market, but 800 V technology is gaining ground. The leap to 1200 V has a positive effect on the long-distance capability of electric cars and the utility value of electric trucks.

    The 1200 V GaN MBDS with integrated peripherals will be presented by Dr. Michael Basler at the PCIM Conference on May 8 from 10:10 to 10:30 a.m. in the oral session on GaN Devices II on Stage München 1. It is based on Basler’s paper “Highly-Integrated 1200 V GaN-Based Monolithic Bidirectional Switch,” which will be published in conjunction with PCIM 2025.

    Fraunhofer IAF has also made progress in the field of multi-level converters with bidirectional switches for blocking voltages up to 48 V: Researchers have used a conventional single-gate HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) based on the aluminum gallium nitride/gallium nitride (AlGaN/GaN) compound semiconductor heterostructure in a low-voltage 3-level T-type converter as a bidirectional switch, thereby achieving simpler control of the transistor than with a bidirectional transistor with two gates for such topologies. Like the 1200 V MBDS, this innovative approach enables simpler control in addition to a space-efficient component design.

    On May 6, Daniel Grieshaber will present the results shown in his paper “Investigation of a Single-Gate GaN HEMT as Bidirectional Switch in a Low Voltage Multilevel Topology” at the PCIM Conference Poster Session in the GaN Devices I section from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the foyer.

    In addition to innovations in the field of bidirectional switches, researchers at Fraunhofer IAF are working along the entire semiconductor value chain on materials, components, modules and subsystems for GaN-based power electronics in the voltage classes 48 V, 100 V, 200 V, 600 V and 1200 V. The current focus is on lateral and vertical components, monolithic integration, and highly insulating substrates such as sapphire or SiC. In addition to the results presented at PCIM 2025, Fraunhofer IAF is already working on components in the 1700 V class.

    Fraunhofer IAF will be presenting an overview of its research and development portfolio in power electronics at the PCIM Expo in Hall 6, Booth 260, from May 6 to 8. Among others, an epitaxial 8-inch GaN wafer, processed 4-inch GaN-on-SiC and GaN-on-sapphire wafers, GaN power ICs, integrated lateral and vertical GaN components and 600 V half-bridge modules based on GaN are being exhibited.

    At the PCIM Conference, Dr. Richard Reiner will also summarize the latest power electronics developments at Fraunhofer IAF in his presentation “Lateral, Vertical, Bidirectional! Innovations and Progress in GaN Devices and Power ICs.” It will take place on May 7 from 10:50 to 11:10 a.m. on the Technology Stage.

    Original – Fraunhofer IAF

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