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Navitas Semiconductor has announced their latest 12 kW power supply unit (PSU) ‘designed for production’ reference design for hyperscale AI data centers with high-power rack densities of 120 kW.
The 12 kW PSU complies with Open Rack v3 (ORv3) specifications and Open Compute Project (OCP) guidelines. It utilizes Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs, a novel ‘IntelliWeave™’ digital platform, and high-power GaNSafe ICs configured in 3-phase interleaved TP-PFC and FB-LLC topologies to ensure the highest efficiency and performance, with the lowest component count.
The 3-Phase interleaved totem-pole power factor correction (TP-PFC) is powered by Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs with ‘trench-assisted planar’ technology, which has been enabled by over 20 years of SiC innovation leadership and offers world-leading performance over temperature, delivering cool-running, fast-switching, and superior robustness to support faster charging EVs and up to 3x more powerful AI data centers.
IntelliWeave digital control provides a hybrid control strategy of both Critical Conduction Mode (CrCM) and Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM), for light-load to full-load conditions, ensuring maximum efficiency while maintaining a simplistic design with low component count. This results in a 30% reduction in power losses compared to existing Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) solutions.
The 3-phase interleaved full-bridge (FB) LLC topology is enabled by 4th generation high-power GaNSafe ICs, integrating control, drive, sensing, and critical protection features that allow unprecedented reliability and robustness. GaNSafe is the world’s safest GaN with short-circuit protection (350ns max latency), 2kV ESD protection on all pins, elimination of negative gate drive, and programmable slew rate control. All these features are controlled with four pins, allowing the package to be treated like a discrete GaN FET, requiring no VCC pin. Suitable for applications from 1 kW to 22 kW, 650 V GaNSafe in TOLL and TOLT packages are available with a range of RDS(ON)typ. from 18 to 70 mΩ.
The PSU is 790 x 73.5 x 40 mm and has an input voltage range of 180 – 305 VAC, outputting up to 50 VDC and delivering 12 kW when using input voltages above 207 VAC and 10 kW below this. Additionally, it implements active current sharing and over-current, over-voltage, under-voltage, and over-temperature protections. It has an operating temperature range of -5 to 45oC, a hold-up time of ³20 ms at 12 kW, and an inrush current of £3 times the steady-state current below 20 ms. Cooling is via the PSU’s internal fan.
“The continuation and leadership of Navitas’ AI power roadmap has seen a quadrupling in output power – from 2.7 to 12 kW – in just over 24 months,” said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas. “This increase in power delivery is vital for the world’s data centers to support the exponential power demanded by the latest GPU architectures. The ‘designed for production’ PSU enables our customers to quickly implement a highly efficient, simple, and cost-effective solution to address the power delivery challenges for AI and hyperscale data centers.”
The 12 kW PSU was presented at Navitas’ ‘AI Tech Night’ on 21st May, alongside the Computex exhibition in Taiwan.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Navitas Semiconductor will host an “AI Tech Night” event in Taipei, Taiwan, bringing together industry experts, supply chain partners, and technology developers for keynote speeches, demonstrations, and interactive discussions. The event will focus on how high-power GaNSafe™ and GeneSiC™ technologies are transforming AI data center infrastructure by overcoming efficiency and power density challenges to meet the growing power demands of AI and hyperscale data centers. Navitas will debut its next-generation OCP data center power supply unit (PSU) reference design, which has been ‘designed for production’ and achieves the world’s highest power density, performance, and efficiency.
With each GPU power exceeding 1,000W and AI cluster computing demand doubling every three months, traditional power supply technologies are struggling to keep pace with the evolving needs for energy efficiency and power density in AI infrastructure. Navitas’ GaN and SiC solutions will showcase the breakthrough of conventional architectural limitations and enable more efficient, high-density, and sustainable data center development.
Navitas ‘AI Power Roadmap’ was created in 2023, focusing on next-generation AI data center power delivery. The initial PSU was a high-speed, high-efficiency 2.7 kW CRPS (common redundant power supply), which offered 2x higher power density and a 30% reduction in energy loss. A 3.2kW CRPS followed, achieving a 40% smaller size than best-in-class, legacy silicon solutions for power-hungry AI and Edge computing. Next was the world’s highest-power-density 4.5kW CRPS, achieving 137W/in3 and an efficiency of over 97%. In November 2024, Navitas released the world’s first 8.5kW AI data-center power supply powered by GaN and SiC that could meet 98% efficiency, complying with the Open Compute Project (OCP) and Open Rack v3 (ORv3) specifications. Additionally, Navitas created IntelliWeave, a patented new digital control technique that, when combined with high-power GaNSafe and Gen 3-Fast SiC MOSFETs, enables PFC peak efficiencies of 99.3% and reduces power losses by 30% compared with existing solutions.
Navitas will also highlight the world’s first mass-produced 650V Bi-Directional GaNFast™ power ICs and IsoFast™ high-speed isolated gate drivers. These technologies drive a paradigm shift from traditional two-stage to single-stage power topologies, optimizing data center power supply design, reducing form factors, and increasing rack space utilization.
“The exponential growth of AI computing power poses stringent challenges for data center infrastructure. The debut of our latest AI data center PSU achieves dual breakthroughs in efficiency and power density, demonstrating Navitas’ continuous innovation in GaN and SiC technologies and deep understanding of the data center industry”, said Charles Zha, SVP and APAC GM of Navitas. “With years of focus on the Asia-Pacific market, we remain committed to aligning cutting-edge technologies with local needs and industry strengths. We look forward to collaborating with industry partners to explore how GaN and SiC innovation can drive efficiency and density upgrades in AI data centers, ensuring computing development progresses along with a sustainable future.”
The “AI Tech Night” will take place on May 21st, 2025, 6:30 pm-9:00 pm, at the Courtyard by Marriott Taipei. To participate in the ‘AI Tech Night’ event, please contact info@navitassemi.com.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Infineon Technologies AG has introduced the CoolGaN™ bidirectional switch (BDS) 650 V G5, a gallium nitride (GaN) switch capable of actively blocking voltage and current in both directions. Featuring a common-drain design and a double-gate structure, it leverages Infineon’s robust gate injection transistor (GIT) technology to deliver a monolithic bidirectional switch, enabled by Infineon’s CoolGaN technology. The device serves as a highly efficient replacement for traditional back-to-back configurations commonly used in converters.
The bidirectional CoolGaN switch offers several key advantages for power conversion systems. By integrating two switches in a single device, it simplifies the design of cycloconverter topologies, enabling single-stage power conversion, eliminating the need for multiple conversion stages. This leads to improved efficiency, increased reliability, and a more compact design. BDS-based microinverters also benefit from higher power density and reduced component count, which simplifies manufacturing and reduces costs. Additionally, the device supports advanced grid functions such as reactive power compensation and bidirectional operation.
As a result, this solution holds significant potential across a wide range of applications, including:
Microinverters: The CoolGaN bidirectional switch enables simpler and more efficient microinverter designs, reducing both size and cost. This makes microinverters more attractive for residential and commercial solar installations.
Energy Storage Systems (ESS): In ESS applications such as battery chargers and dischargers, the switch allows for more efficient and reliable energy storage and release.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging: In EV charging systems, the BDS switch supports faster, more efficient charging while also enabling vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality, where energy stored in the vehicle battery can be fed back into the grid.
Motor control: The CoolGaN BDS is ideal for use in Current Source Inverters (CSI) for industrial motor drives. Compared to traditional Voltage Source Inverters (VSI), CSIs offer benefits such as:
- Producing a sinusoidal output voltage, which supports longer cable runs, reduced losses, and improved fault tolerance.
- Replacing the DC-link capacitor with an inductor, improving high-temperature performance and short-circuit protection.
- Higher efficiency at partial loads, lower EMI, inherent buck-boost capability for voltage variation, and scalability for parallel operation.
These features make CSIs a more robust and efficient alternative for industrial motor applications.
AI data centers: In AI server power supplies, bidirectional switches like CoolGaN support higher switching frequencies and power density in architectures such as Vienna rectifiers and H4 PFCs. A single CoolGaN BDS can replace two conventional switches, reducing component count, cost, size, and overall power losses.
The CoolGaN bidirectional switch (BDS) 650 V G5 is available for ordering now as well as samples of the 110 mΩ product. More information is available here.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Infineon Technologies AG and Visteon Corporation, a global leader in automotive cockpit electronics, announced the companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance the development of next-generation electric vehicle powertrains.
In this joint effort, Infineon and Visteon will collaborate and integrate power conversion devices based on Infineon semiconductors, with particular emphasis on wideband gap device technologies, which provide significant advantages in power conversion applications compared to silicon-based semiconductors. These devices include greater power density, efficiency and thermal performance, which contribute to improved efficiency and reduced system costs for next-generation power conversion modules for the automotive sector.
Future Visteon EV powertrain applications incorporating Infineon CoolGaN™ (Gallium Nitride) and CoolSiC™ (Silicon Carbide) devices may include battery junction boxes, DC-DC converters and on-board chargers. The resulting powertrain systems will conform to the highest efficiency, robustness and reliability.
“Working with Infineon allows us to integrate cutting-edge semiconductor technologies that are essential in improving power conversion efficiency and overall system capability of next generation electric vehicles,” said Dr. Tao Wang, Head of the Electrification Product Line of Visteon Corporation. “This collaboration will advance technologies that accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and efficient mobility ecosystem.”
“Visteon is a recognized innovator and an early adopter of new technologies, making them an ideal partner for us,” said Peter Schaefer, Chief Sales Officer Automotive, Infineon Technologies AG. “Together, we will push the boundaries of electric vehicle technology and provide superior solutions to the global automotive industry.”
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) announced that Inventchip, a leading provider of SiC power devices and IC solutions headquartered in Shanghai, has successfully demo’d a 2.5 kW GaN-based CCM totem-pole PFC reference design using CGD’s ICeGaN® gallium nitride ICs. A key feature is ease-of use. ICeGaN ICs integrate interface circuitry and protection on the same GaN die as the HEMT. Therefore, any standard driver IC can be used. The Inventchip IVCC1104 totem pole PFC controller IC is also simple to use with no programming required. It offers optimized AC zero-crossing control, low THD and high robustness against AC disturbance.
DI CHEN | DIRECTOR, TECHNICAL MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, CGD
“Inventchip had an existing 2.5kW TPPFC reference design based on its controller and gate drivers using SiC MOSFETs in TO-247 packages. To evaluate the performance of GaN instead, Inventchip designed a TO-247 adapter board using our P2 25mΩ ICeGaN ICs and the ICeGaN design works perfectly without any modification of their circuits. It has demonstrated that the ICeGaN can significantly shorten the learning curve and allow engineers to bring new product faster to market.”DR. ZHONG YE |CTO , INVENTCHIP
“By using a TO247-4 adapter board to solder on a DFN-packaged ICeGaN device for a quick test on our EVM, despite the relatively long gate drive path and the extended drive power supply trace, the board was powered up successfully at the first shot with clean switching waveform. No abnormalities or shoot-through was observed from no-load to full-load conditions. The GaN’s performance is very impressive. The CGD GaN device has proven to be very noise-immune, user-friendly and highly efficient.”Having proved its efficiency and power density in low power charger designs, GaN is now being adopted by makers of server and data centre PSUs, inverters, industrial brick DC/DC converters and LED drivers. Soon, EV inverter drives of over 100 kW are expected to transition to GaN too. ICeGaN technology is especially suitable at higher power levels because of its proven reliability and robustness.
Original – Cambridge GaN Devices
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With the rapid growth of AI data centers, the increasing adoption of electric vehicles, and the ongoing trends in global digitalization and reindustrialization, global electricity demand is expected to surge. To address this challenge, Infineon Technologies AG is introducing the EasyPACK™ CoolGaN™ Transistor 650 V module, adding to its growing GaN power portfolio.
Based on the Easy Power Module platform, the module has been specifically developed for high-power applications such as data centers, renewable energy systems, and DC electric vehicle charging stations. It is designed to meet the growing demand for higher performance while providing maximum ease of use, helping customers accelerate their design processes, and shorten time-to-market.
“The CoolGaN-based EasyPACK power modules combine Infineon’s expertise in power semiconductors and power modules,” says Roland Ott, Senior Vice President and Head of the Green Energy Modules and Systems Business Unit at Infineon. “This combination offers customers a solution that meets the increasing demand for high-performance and energy-efficient technologies in applications such as data centers, renewable energy, and EV charging.”
The EasyPACK CoolGaN module integrates 650 V CoolGaN power semiconductors with low parasitic inductances, achieved through compact die packing – enabling fast and efficient switching. Delivering up to 70 kW per phase with just a single module, the design supports compact and scalable high-power systems. Furthermore, by combining Infineon’s .XT interconnect technology with CoolGaN options, the module enhances both performance and reliability.
The .XT technology is implemented on a high-performance substrate, significantly reducing thermal resistance, which in turn translates to higher system efficiency and lower cooling demands. This results in increased power density and excellent cycling robustness, even under demanding operating conditions. With support for a broad range of topologies and customization options, the EasyPACK CoolGaN module addresses diverse requirements in industrial and energy applications.
Infineon has sold well over 70 million EasyPACK modules with various chipsets for a wide range of industrial and automotive applications. With the introduction of the CoolGaN power semiconductors in this package, Infineon is now expanding the application range of GaN as its use creates more demand into very high kilowatt applications.
The EasyPACK series leverages Infineon’s PressFIT contact technology, which ensures highly reliable and durable electrical connections between the module and the PCB. By utilizing a cold-welding process, PressFIT delivers gas-tight, solder-free joints that guarantee long-term mechanical stability and electrical conductivity, even under demanding thermal and mechanical conditions. This advanced design reduces manufacturing time and eliminates potential solder-related defects, offering a robust solution for high-reliability applications. Additionally, with its compact design, EasyPACK modules occupy up to 30 percent less PCB surface area than other conventional discrete layouts, resulting in a very cost-effective solution.
The newest 650 V CoolGaN generation provides increased performance and figures of merit. Infineon’s benchmark data shows that CoolGaN Transistor 650 V G5 products provide up to 50 percent lower energy stored in the output capacitance (E oss), up to 60 percent improved drain-source charge (Q oss) and up to 60 percent lower gate charge (Q g). Combined, these features result in increased efficiencies in both hard- and soft-switching applications.
This leads to a significant reduction in power loss compared to traditional silicon technology, ranging from 20 to 60 percent depending on the specific use case. The CoolGaN Transistor 650 V G5 product family offers a wide range of R DS(on) package combinations. Ten R DS(on) classes are available in various SMD packages, such as ThinPAK 5×6, DFN 8×8, TOLL and TOLT. All products are manufactured on high-performance 8-inch production lines in Villach (Austria) and Kulim (Malaysia). Target applications range from consumer and industrial switched-mode power supply (SMPS) such as USB-C adapters and chargers, lighting, TV, data center, and telecom rectifiers to renewable energy and motor drives in home appliances.
Infineon will showcase the EasyPACK modules with CoolGaN at PCIM 2025 in Nuremberg at the Infineon booth in Hall 7, Booth 470. Further information is available here.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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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.
Original – Wise-integration
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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 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
Original – Rohde & Schwarz
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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
