Day: 31 October 2025

onsemi announced a new family of vertical gallium nitride (vGaN) power semiconductors intended to raise efficiency, power density, and ruggedness across high-demand applications, including AI data centers, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and aerospace and defense. Developed at the company’s Syracuse, New York facility, the GaN-on-GaN technology conducts current vertically through the device to support higher operating voltages and faster switching frequencies.

According to onsemi, the vGaN architecture can reduce conversion losses by nearly 50 percent versus current solutions while enabling smaller and lighter power systems through higher-frequency operation. The company holds more than 130 global patents related to vertical GaN covering process, device architecture, manufacturing, and systems innovations.

Key points
• Technology: GaN-on-GaN structure conducts current vertically, designed for high voltage and high-frequency switching
• Efficiency: Potential to cut power losses by almost 50 percent while improving thermal performance and power density
• Footprint: Devices are described as approximately three times smaller than commercially available lateral GaN alternatives
• Sampling: Initial 700 V and 1,200 V devices are sampling to early access customers

Target applications
• AI data centers: Higher-density 800 V DC-DC stages to improve cost per rack and reduce component count
• Electric vehicles: Smaller, lighter, and more efficient traction inverters
• Charging infrastructure: Faster, more compact, and rugged charging systems
• Renewable energy: Higher-voltage solar and wind inverter stages with lower losses
• Energy storage systems: High-density, bidirectional converters for batteries and microgrids
• Industrial automation: More efficient, cooler motor drives and robotics
• Aerospace, defense, and security: Compact, high-reliability power platforms

Most GaN power devices are built on non-GaN substrates such as silicon or sapphire and conduct laterally across the surface. onsemi’s vGaN uses a GaN substrate and a vertical current path, which increases voltage handling, improves thermal stability, and enhances ruggedness under extreme operating conditions. The vertical approach is aimed at enabling higher operating frequencies, shrinking passives such as inductors and capacitors, and reducing overall system size and cooling requirements.

onsemi is currently sampling 700 V and 1,200 V vGaN devices to early access customers. Broader portfolio details and production timelines are expected to follow.

Original – onsemi