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Navitas Semiconductor has announced that its portfolio of 3.2kW, 4.5kW, and 8.5 kW AI data center power supply unit (PSU) designs exceed the new 80 PLUS ‘Ruby’ certification, focused on the highest level of efficiency for redundant server data center PSUs.
The 80 PLUS certification program assesses and certifies the energy efficiency of internal PSUs in computers and servers. The ‘Ruby’ certification was announced in January 2025 by 80 PLUS’s administrating body, CLEAResult, following its endorsement by the Green Grid consortium.
‘Ruby’ is the most rigorous PSU efficiency standard since the ‘Titanium’ certification was released 14 years ago. In comparison, Ruby sets an additional 1% system efficiency across all load conditions, except at 50% load (which requires a 0.5% increase), to achieve a new benchmark of 96.5% efficiency.
This new standard offers the industry a clear path to enhanced energy efficiency, helping data centers address the evolving needs of cloud storage, commercial sectors, and the increasing pressure on the grid from AI computing. For example, every Ruby-certified 3.2 kW CRPS185 PSU can save up to 420 kilowatt-hours during a 3-year lifetime. That is the equivalent of over 400 kg of CO2 emissions.
Navitas exceeds both Ruby and Titanium certifications on their portfolio of AI data center PSU reference designs, ranging from 3.2 kW to 8.5 kW, and are powered by high-power GaNSafe™ ICs and GeneSiC™ Gen 3 ‘Fast’ SiC MOSFETs.
Navitas is the established leader in AI data center solutions enabled by GaN and SiC technology. In August 2023, they introduced a high-speed, high-efficiency 3.2 kW CRPS, achieving a 40% smaller size than best-in-class, legacy silicon solutions for power-hungry AI and Edge computing. This was followed by the world’s highest power density 4.5 kW CRPS, achieving a ground-breaking 137 W/in3, and efficiency of over 97%.
In November 2024, Navitas released the world’s first 8.5 kW 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, an innovative patented new digital control technique, that when combined with high-power GaNSafe and Gen 3-Fast SiC MOSFETs, enables PFC peak efficiencies to 99.3% and reduces power losses by 30% reduction compared to existing solutions.
“Compared with Titanium, Ruby cuts the allowable PSU losses significantly and will be critical in enabling the data center industry to reduce its carbon footprint and cut operational costs,” said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas. “With the industry set to consume 1,000 TWh annually by next year1, every percentage point improvement in efficiency represents a reduction of 10 TWh, or approximately 3.5 million tons of CO22. Advances in our GaNFast and GeneSiC products enable these targets to be met and significantly exceeded.”
Navitas’ AI Power Roadmap and 80 PLUS Ruby-compliant demos can be viewed at the ‘Planet Navitas’ booth #1107 during the APEC 2025 conference, which takes place at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center from March 16 to 20.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Texas Instruments debuted new power-management chips to support the rapidly growing power needs of modern data centers. As the adoption of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence (AI) increases, data centers require more power-dense and efficient solutions.
TI’s new TPS1685 is the industry’s first 48V integrated hot-swap eFuse with power-path protection to support data center hardware and processing needs. To simplify data center design, TI also introduced a new family of integrated GaN power stages, the LMG3650R035, LMG3650R025and LMG3650R070, in industry-standard TOLL packaging. TI is showcasing these devices at the 2025 Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC), March 16-20, in Atlanta, Georgia.
“With data centers increasingly demanding more energy, powering the world’s digital infrastructure begins with smarter, more efficient semiconductors,” said Robert Taylor, general manager, Industrial Power Design Services. “While advanced chips drive AI’s computational power, analog semiconductors are key to maximizing energy efficiency. Our latest power-management innovations are enabling data centers to reduce their environmental footprint while supporting the growing needs of our digital world.”
As power demands surge, data center designers are shifting to 48V power architectures for enhanced efficiency and scalability to support components such as CPUs, graphics processing units and AI hardware accelerators. TI’s 48V stackable integrated hot-swap eFuse with power-path protection empowers designers to tackle high-power (>6kW) processing needs with a scalable device that simplifies design and reduces solution size by half compared to existing hot-swap controllers in the market.
To learn more about designing with the TPS1685, read the technical article, “Powering Modern AI Data Centers with an Integrated 48V Hot-Swap eFuse Device.”
In addition, TI introduced a new family of integrated GaN power stages. The LMG3650R035, LMG3650R070 and LMG3650R025 leverage the benefits of TI GaN in an industry-standard TOLL package, allowing designers to take advantage of TI GaN efficiency without costly and time-consuming redesigns.
The new power stages integrate a high-performance gate driver with a 650V GaN field-effect transistor (FET) while achieving high efficiency (>98%) and high-power density (>100W/in3). They also integrate advanced protection features including over-current protection, short-circuit protection and over-temperature protection. This is especially important for AC/DC applications like server power, where designers are challenged to push more power into smaller spaces.
At APEC 2025, TI will showcases power solutions that enable designers to reimagine new levels of power density and efficiency, including:
- Dell’s 1.8kW server power-supply unit (PSU) with TI GaN power stages: Dell’s first high-efficiency 12V PSU design uses a TI integrated GaN power stage. The PSU features a GaN FET with built-in driver, protection and temperature reporting to achieve over 96% system-level efficiency.
- Vertiv’s 5.5kW server PSU: Part of Vertiv’s PowerDirect Rack DC power system, the latest PSU from Vertiv is powered by TI GaN technology to deliver up to 132kW per rack.
- Greatwall’s 8kW PSU: To help designers increase power density, Greatwall and TI co-developed an 8kW open-rack PSU using TI GaN technology and TI C2000™ real-time microcontrollers.
Throughout the show, TI power experts will lead 27 industry and technical sessions to address power-management design challenges. Visit TI in the Georgia World Congress Center, Booth No. 1213. The full schedule is available at ti.com/APEC.
Original – Texas Instruments
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Navitas Semiconductor has announced a latest breakthrough of the world’s first production-released 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs and high-speed isolated gate-drivers, creating a paradigm shift in power with single-stage BDS converters, which enables the transition from two-stage to single-stage topologies. Targeted applications range widely and opens up multi-billion dollar market opportunities across EV charging (On-Board Chargers (OBC) and roadside), solar inverters, energy storage and motor drives. The recorded launch event video can be viewed here.
Over 70% of today’s high-voltage power converters use a ‘two-stage’ topology. For example, a typical AC-DC EV OBC implements an initial power-factor-correction (PFC) stage and a follow-on DC-DC stage, with bulky ‘DC-link’ buffering capacitors. The resulting systems are large, lossy, and expensive. Bi-directional GaNFast consolidates the two stages into a single, high-speed, high-efficiency stage and in the process, eliminates the bulky capacitors and input inductors – the ultimate solution in EV OBCs.
A leading EV and solar micro-inverter manufacturer have already begun their implementation of single-stage BDS converters to improve efficiency, size, and cost in their systems. GaNFast-enabled single-stage converters achieve up to 10% cost savings, 20% energy savings, and up to 50% size reductions.
The ultimate power semiconductor switch (transistor) can block voltage and allow current flow in two directions, with the highest efficiency. Navitas’ leadership in GaN innovation has delivered this landmark – the bi-directional GaNFast power IC.
Previously, two discrete, ‘back-to-back’ single switches had to be used, but new bi-directional GaNFast ICs are leading-edge, single-chip designs (monolithic integration) with a merged drain structure, two gate controls, and a patented, integrated, active substrate clamp. One high-speed, high-efficiency bi-directional GaNFast IC replaces up to 4 older switches, increasing system performance while reducing component count, PCB area, and system costs.
The initial 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs include NV6427 (100 mΩ RSS(ON) typ.) and NV6428 (50 mΩ RSS(ON) typ) in thermally enhanced, top-side-cooled TOLT-16L (Transistor Outline Leaded Topside-cooled) packaging. The product family will be extended into lower RSS(ON) offerings in the future.
The new, high-speed IsoFast devices are galvanically isolated, high-speed drivers optimized to drive bi-directional GaN. With 4x higher transient immunity than existing drivers (up to 200 V/ns) and no external negative bias supply needed, they deliver reliable, fast, accurate power control in high-voltage systems. Initial parts are the NV1702 (dual, independent-channel, digital, isolated bi-directional GaN gate driver) and NV1701 (half-bridge GaN digital isolator) in SOIC-16N and SOIC-14W packages.
“These ICs are a truly game-changing and disruptive technology both at the semiconductor and at the system level. They not only deliver improved efficiency, power density, simplicity, and system costs but will also transform multiple multi-billion-dollar markets in the most sustainable way possible.” Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas commented. “The future of our electrified planet is bi-directional energy flow. From all renewable energy sources, the power grid, and all electrified applications, such as ESS, solar and EVs, energy should flow efficiently & bi-directionally, creating a critical new currency for our future planet. Single-stage BDS converters are the key for this inflection”.
Bi-directional GaNFast ICs (NV6427 and NV6428) are fully qualified and immediately available in mass-production quantities. IsoFast (NV1701 and NV1702) samples are available now to qualified customers.
Single-stage evaluation boards and user guide showcasing both IsoFast and bi-directional GaNFast ICs are available for qualified customers.
Navitas will feature bi-directional GaNFast ICs and IsoFast at the APEC 2025 power electronics conference in Atlanta, March 17th-19th, booth 1107.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Wise-integration will unveil its latest WiseGan® and WiseWare® advancements at APEC 2025 in Atlanta, featuring two technical presentations and demonstration boards, including a new 1.5kW Totem Pole PFC module designed specifically for server and industrial applications.
“GaN technology continues to drive new efficiencies in power electronics, and APEC 2025 is the ideal platform to showcase our latest advancements,” said Thierry Bouchet, CEO of Wise-integration. “Our WiseWare® digital controllers are accelerating the adoption of GaN by enabling higher performance, system simplification, and seamless integration. Beyond efficiency, they lay the foundation for the next generation of intelligent power systems, addressing the growing demands of AI-driven server and industrial applications. These innovations are re-shaping the future of power conversion.”
Presentations
Technical Session (T04.4): “Novel Dual Output LDO Architecture in 650-V GaN Technology for Power ICs”
- Speaker: Plinio Bau, IC Design Engineer
- Date/Time: Tuesday, March 18, 9:30 – 9:50 AM
- Overview: Introduction of a novel dual-output, low-dropout regulator (LDO) architecture designed for 650-V GaN technology to enhance power IC efficiency and performance.
Industrial Session (IS26): “Comparing ZVS Losses Distribution of Similar High-Performance GaN HEMTs”
- Speaker: Theo Simon, Power Electronics Application Engineer
- Date/Time: Thursday, March 20, 11:00 – 11:25 AM
- Overview: Analysis of zero-voltage switching (ZVS) loss distribution in high-performance GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) to optimize power conversion efficiency.
Live Demonstrations at Booth #1238: Wise-integration will showcase four state-of-the-art boards, featuring its latest WiseWare® technologies:
- 1.5kW Single-Phase Totem Pole PFC (CrCM) – Designed for server and industrial applications, powered by WiseWare® digital control, with switching frequencies from 200 kHz to 730 kHz,
- 300W Totem Pole PFC (CrCM) – Highlights GaN’s efficiency in power conversion using the WIW1101 MCU Digital Controller and WiseGan® WI71060A,
- 300W Totem Pole PFC (CrCM)-LLC – Demonstrates improved PFC-LLC performance with WIW1101 MCU Digital Controller, WiseGan® WI71060A (PFC), and WI71120A (LLC), and
- 150W WiseWare® 2 Demo Board – Showcases a patented single-stage architecture that virtualizes power factor correction (PFC), significantly simplifying system designAbout WiseWare® Digital ControllerWiseWare® is a high-frequency digital AC-DC controller portfolio for SMPS applications. Utilizing MCU-based ZVS proprietary firmware, it optimizes GaN transistor power conversion. WiseWare® 1.1 (WIW1101) is a digital controller for Totem Pole PFC in AC-DC converters, enabling CrCM operation with ZVS to maximize efficiency.
Original – Wise-integration
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Cambridge GaN Devices revealed more details about a solution that will enable the company to address EV powertrain applications over 100kW – a market worth over $10B – with its ICeGaN® gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Combo ICeGaN® combines smart ICeGaN HEMT ICs and IGBTs (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors) in the same module or IPM, maximizing efficiency and offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive silicon carbide (SiC) solutions.
Dr GIORGIA LONGOBARDI | FOUNDER AND CEO, CGD
“Today, inverters for EV powertrains either use IGBTs which are low cost but inefficient at light load conditions, or SiC devices which are very efficient but also expensive. Our new Combo ICeGaN solution will revolutionise the EV industry by intelligently combining the benefits of GaN and silicon technologies, keeping cost low and maintaining the highest levels of efficiency which, of course, means faster charging and longer range. We are already working with Tier One automotive EV manufacturers and their supply chain partners to bring this technology advancement to the market.”The proprietary Combo ICeGaN approach uses the fact that ICeGaN and IGBT devices can be operated in a parallel architecture having similar drive voltage ranges (e.g. 0-20V) and excellent gate robustness. In operation, the ICeGaN switch is very efficient, with low conduction and low switching losses at relatively low currents (light load), while the IGBT is dominant at relatively high currents (towards full load or during surge conditions).
Combo ICeGaN also benefits from the high saturation currents and the avalanche clamping capability of IGBTs and the very efficient switching of ICeGaN. At higher temperatures, the bipolar component of the IGBT will start to conduct at lower on-state voltages, supplementing the loss of current in the ICeGaN. Conversely, at lower temperatures, ICeGaN will take more current. Sensing and protection functions are intelligently managed to optimally drive the Combo ICeGaN and enhance the Safe Operating Area (SOA) of both ICeGaN and IGBT devices.
ICeGaN technology allows EV engineers to enjoy GaN’s benefits in DC-to-DC converters, on-board chargers and potentially traction inverters. Combo ICeGaN further extends the benefits of CGD’s GaN technology into the rich 100kW+ traction inverter market. ICeGaN ICs have been proven to be very robust and IGBTs have a long and proven track record in traction and EV applications. Similar, proprietary parallel combinations of ICeGaN devices with SiC MOSFETs have also been proven by CGD, but Combo ICeGaN – which is now detailed in a published IEDM paper – is a far more economical solution. CGD expects to have working demos of Combo ICeGaN at the end of this year.
Prof. FLORIN UDREA | FOUNDER AND CTO, CGD
“Having worked for three decades in the field of power devices, this is the first time I have encountered such a beautifully complementary technology pairing. ICeGaN is extremely fast and a star performer at light load conditions while the IGBT brings great benefits during full load, surge conditions and at high temperatures. ICeGaN provides on-chip intelligence while the IGBT provides avalanche capability. They both embrace silicon substrates which come with cost, infrastructure and manufacturability advantages.”CGD will be exhibiting at APEC (Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition). For more details about Combo ICeGaN, visit Booth 2039 at the Georgia World Congress Center | Atlanta, GA | March 16-20, 2025.
Original – Cambridge GaN Devices
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ALLOS Semiconductors and Canadian specialty semiconductor and performance materials supplier 5N Plus Inc. have announced the acquisition of the GaN IP portfolio from 5N Plus’ subsidiary AZUR Space Solar Power.
This strategic acquisition includes the buy-back of the GaN-on-Si technology for high power electronics (HPE) applications, which was originally sold to AZUR in 2020, along with several jointly completed innovations and resulting patent applications. With this acquisition, the global IP portfolio has expanded to over 50 granted patents, with more to come, most of them essential for both GaN-on-Si for optoelectronics and HPE applications. The transaction also includes the return of all recipes and other know-how.
This acquisition strengthens ALLOS’ position in the rapidly evolving areas of micro-LED displays and optical interconnect. ALLOS’ GaN-on-Si epiwafers are crucial for the customers to utilize standard silicon fabs for micro-LED manufacturing.
Additionally, this acquisition provides ALLOS’ with the option to re-enter the GaN-on-Si high power electronics (HPE) market. Power GaN has become a global mass market success and is projected to grow to over two billion USD by 2029. The unique features of ALLOS’ 200 mm and 300 mm technology can significantly benefit in scaling up production while reducing unit costs. In addition to standard silicon fab compatibility, these features include highest crystal quality, best wafer uniformity, and award-winning breakdown voltages for undoped GaN. While ALLOS remains focused on micro-LEDs, the company is now open to collaborations with HPE players.
Original – ALLOS Semiconductors
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Cambridge GaN Devices will demonstrate at APEC that the company’s ICeGaN® GaN ICs can now satisfy a broad range of applications with higher power requirements, such as servers, data centres, inverters, industrial power supplies and, very soon, automotive EVs over100 kW. The company’s new P2 series ICs feature RDS(on) levels down to 25 mΩ, supporting multi kW power levels with the highest efficiency, and a secure supply chain is in place including manufacturing deals with TSMC and ASE, and distribution through Digi-Key.
HENRYK DABROWSKI | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL SALES, CGD
“GaN is now widely accepted as the technology of choice for mobile device chargers and is now set to supersede traditional silicon MOSFETs in higher power applications. The industry is also beginning to realize that GaN may replace SiC in certain high efficiency designs, due to its lower manufacturing cost. At APEC – one of the world’s most important events for the power industry – we are eagerly looking forward to having in-depth discussions with designers of high efficiency power systems and demonstrating the ruggedness, reliability and ease of use of our ICeGaN® GaN IC technology.”
During APEC, CGD will give the following Industry Session and Exhibitor Presentations:
Unlocking the Potential of Multi-level Inverters with Integrated ICeGaN technologies (Session: IS14.7)
As the electric vehicle market develops, there is a continuous drive to look at new and novel approaches to further improve the efficiency of the traction inverter and other electrical subsystems.Multi-level inverters enable the use of much high switching frequencies and break down the total voltage into smaller steps, which in turn allows for improved efficiency and downsizing of other parts of the system. GaN technology optimizes the benefits of multi-level topologies. CGD’s ICeGaN technology brings a higher level of integration, lower cost, best in class robustness and ease of use.
Presenter: Daniel Murphy, Director of Technical Marketing, CGD Date: Wednesday March 19, 2025 Time: 4:30 PM – 4:55 PM ET Location: Level Four, A411
ICeGaN Leads the Industry in GaN Integration
This presentation will demonstrate how ICeGaN technology leads in simplification, cost reduction, robustness, carbon footprint and efficiency of GaN power applications.Presenter: Peter Di Maso, Vice President, Business Development, CGD Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Time: 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM ET Location: A301
On booth 2039, CGD will present demos that highlight the benefits of employing its ICeGaN technology in three application spaces: Motor Drives
- ICeGaN vs discrete GaN circuits comparison in half-bridge (daughter cards) demo board
- High and low power QORVO motor drive evaluation kits utilising ICeGaN and developed in collaboration with CGD
- Half-bridge built using CGD’s ICeGaN ICs in the BHDFN (Bottom Heat-spreader DFN) bottom-side cooled package with wettable flanks for easy inspection
Data Centres
- 3 kW totem-pole PFC evaluation board
- Half-bridge built using CGD’s BHDFN-packaged ICeGaN ICs
- Full-bridge demo showing CGD’s ICeGaN ICs in the DHDFN (Dual Heat-spreader DFN) package which has low thermal resistance (Rth(JC)), and can be operated with bottom-side, top-side and dual-side cooling. This package offers flexibility in design and out-performs the often-used TOLT package in top-side and, especially, dual-side cooled configurations.
- 2.5kW GaN-based CCM totem-pole PFC reference design targetting LED drivers, industrial brick DC/DC and general PSUs with power range of 500W to 1.5kW.
Scalable Power
- New single IC ICeGaN technology platform that delivers over 100kW, enabling CGD to address the $10B+ EV market, currently dominated by SiC, with cost-effective GaN solutions
- Single leg of a 3-phase 800 V automotive inverter demo board, developed in partnership with French public R&I institute, IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN)
- Parallel evaluation board demoing ICeGaN’s higher power capabilities
- Full-bridge demo showing CGD’s ICeGaN ICs in the DHDFN package
GIORGIA LONGOBARDI | FOUNDER AND CEO, CGD
“This is an exciting time for our industry as it embraces the disruptive GaN technology. Although this change from silicon has indisputably shown the power density and efficiency benefits of GaN, only CGD is presenting this new technology in an easy-to-use solution, which has been proven to be the most rugged in the industry. With our technology roadmap which details how ICeGaN will be able to address even EV applications over 100kW, we are sure designers will be inspired by the possibilities that ICeGaN has opened up.”
Original – Cambridge GaN Devices
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ROHM has announced that the EcoGaN™ series of 650V GaN HEMTs in the TOLL package has been adopted for AI server power supplies by Murata Power Solutions, a subsidiary of the Murata Manufacturing Group and a leading supplier of electronic components, batteries and power supplies in Japan. Integrating ROHM’s GaN HEMTs, which combine low loss operation with high-speed switching performance, in Murata Power Solutions’ 5.5kW AI server power supply unit achieves greater efficiency and miniaturization. Mass production of this power supply unit is set to begin in 2025.
Rapid advancements in IoT-related fields such as AI and AR (Augmented Reality) have led to a surge in global data traffic in recent years. Notably, the power consumption for a single AI-generated response is estimated to be several times higher than that of a standard Internet search, highlighting the need for more efficient AI power supplies. Meanwhile, GaN devices, known for low ON resistance and high-speed switching performance, are gaining attention for their ability to enhance power supply efficiency while reducing the size of peripheral components such as inductors used in power circuits.
Dr. Joe Liu, Technical Fellow, Murata Power Solutions
“We are pleased to have successfully designed AI server power supply units featuring higher efficiency and power density by incorporating ROHM’s GaN HEMTs. The high-speed switching capability, low parasitic capacitance, and zero reverse recovery characteristics of GaN HEMTs help minimize switching losses. This allows for higher operating frequencies in switching converters, reducing the size of magnetic components. ROHM’s GaN HEMTs deliver competitive performance and exceptional reliability, yielding excellent results in the development of Murata Power Solutions’ 5.5kW AI server power supply units. Going forward, we will continue our collaboration with ROHM, a leader in power semiconductors, to improve the efficiency of power supplies and address the social issue of increasing power demand.”
Yuhei Yamaguchi, General Manager, Power Stage Product Development Div., LSI Business Unit, ROHM Co., Ltd.
“We are delighted that ROHM’s EcoGaN™ products have been integrated into AI server power supply units from Murata Power Solutions, a global leader in power supplies. The GaN HEMTs used in this application provide industry-leading switching performance in a high heat dissipation TOLL package, enhancing power density and efficiency in Murata Power Solutions’ power supply units. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Murata Manufacturing, a company that shares the similar vision of contributing to society through electronics – promoting the miniaturization and efficiency of power supplies to enrich people’s lives.”
Original – ROHM
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ROHM has developed 650V GaN HEMTs in the TOLL (TO-LeadLess) package: the GNP2070TD-Z. Featuring a compact design with excellent heat dissipation, high current capacity, and superior switching performance, the TOLL package is increasingly being adopted in applications that require high power handling, particularly inside industrial equipment and automotive systems. For this launch, package manufacturing has been outsourced to ATX SEMICONDUCTOR (WEIHAI) CO., LTD., an experienced OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) provider.
Improving the efficiency of motors and power supplies, which account for most of the world’s electricity consumption, has become a significant challenge to achieving a decarbonized society. As power devices are key to improve efficiency, the adoption of new materials such as SiC (Silicon Carbide) and GaN is expected to further enhance the efficiency of power supplies.
ROHM began mass production of its 1st generation of its 650V GaN HEMTs in April 2023, followed by the release of power stage ICs that combine a gate driver and 650V GaN HEMT in a single package. This time, ROHM has developed the product incorporating 2nd generation elements in a TOLL package, and added it to existing DFN8080 package to strengthen ROHM’s 650V GaN HEMT package lineup – meeting the market demand for even smaller and more efficient high-power applications.
The new products integrate 2nd generation GaN-on-Si chips in a TOLL package, achieving industry-leading values in the device metric that correlates ON-resistance and output charge (RDS(ON) × Qoss). This contributes to further miniaturization and energy efficiency in power systems that require high voltage resistance and high-speed switching.
To achieve mass production, ROHM leveraged proprietary technology and expertise in device design, cultivated through a vertically integrated production system, to carry out design and planning. Under the collaboration announced on December 10, 2024, front-end processes are carried out by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC). Back-end processes are handled by ATX. On top, ROHM plans to partner with ATX to produce automotive-grade GaN devices.
In response to the increasing adoption of GaN devices in the automotive sector, which is expected to accelerate in 2026, ROHM plans to ensure the rapid introduction of automotive-grade GaN devices by strengthening these partnerships in addition to advancing its own development efforts.
Liao Hongchang, Director and General Manager, ATX SEMICONDUCTOR （WEIHAI） CO., LTD.
“We are extremely pleased to have been entrusted with production by ROHM, a company renowned for its advanced manufacturing technologies and in-house production facilities that cover everything from wafer fabrication to packaging. We began technical exchanges with ROHM in 2017 and are currently exploring possibilities for deeper collaboration. This partnership was made possible due to ATX’s track record and technical expertise in the back-end manufacturing of GaN devices. Looking ahead, we also plan to collaborate on ROHM’s ongoing development of automotive-grade GaN devices. By strengthening our partnership, we aim to contribute to energy conservation across various industries and the realization of a sustainable society.”Satoshi Fujitani, General Manager, AP Production Headquarters, ROHM Co., Ltd.
“We are delighted to have successfully produced 650V GaN HEMTs in the TOLL package, achieving sufficient performance. ROHM not only offers standalone GaN devices but also provides power solutions that combine them with ICs, leveraging ROHM’s expertise in analog technology. The knowledge and philosophy cultivated in the design of these products are also applied to device development. Collaborating with OSATs such as ATX, that possess advanced technical capabilities, allows us to stay ahead in the rapidly growing GaN market while utilizing ROHM’s strengths to bring innovative devices to market. Going forward, we will continue to enhance the performance of GaN devices to promote greater miniaturization and efficiency in a variety of applications, contributing to enrich people’s lives.”Original – ROHM
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Manufacturers of cutting-edge audio equipment constantly seek to enhance sound quality while also meeting the growing demand for compact, lightweight, more integrated, and energy-efficient designs. At the same time, they must ensure seamless connectivity, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendly functionality, making audio product development more complex than ever.
To overcome these challenges, SounDigital has integrated CoolGaN™ transistors from Infineon Technologies AG into its new 1500 W Class D amplifier, featuring an 800 kHz switching frequency and five channels. Infineon’s advanced GaN technology has improved the energy efficiency of the amplifier by five percent and reduced energy loss by 60 percent.
“We are excited to enhance the performance of our audio amplifiers using Infineon’s GaN power semiconductors, enabling us to inspire people and provide entertainment by amplifying music around the world,” said Juliano Anflor, CEO of SounDigital. “GaN transistors significantly enhances our overall system performance with minimized system cost and increased ease of use.”
“GaN technology is transforming the audio amplifier industry, providing unparalleled efficiency and performance,” said Johannes Schoiswohl, Head of the GaN Business Line at Infineon. “Infineon’s leading GaN solutions deliver superior sound quality, higher power density, and reduced energy consumption, enabling SounDigital’s audio systems to reach new levels of fidelity and performance.”
For its 1500 W Class D amplifier, SounDigital selected Infineon’s 100 V normally-off E-mode transistors: IGC033S101 in a PQFN-3×5 package and IGB110S101 in a PQFN-3×3 package. With their low on-resistance, the transistors are ideal for demanding high-current applications, enabling significant improvements in both sound quality and efficiency of SounDigital’s amplifier.
The GaN-based amplifier also delivers high performance while reducing power dissipation by 75 W, allowing for a 50 percent smaller heat sink. Additionally, the overall system size has been reduced by 40 percent without compromising performance. The audio quality has been further improved by the CoolGaN transistors, with total harmonic distortion (THD) reduced by 70 percent, enabling a more precise and detailed sound experience. At the same time, the idle current has been reduced by 40 percent, significantly improving energy efficiency.
Original – Infineon Technologies
