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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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Navitas Semiconductor announced that Samsung had expanded adoption of Navitas’ GaNFast ICs from the original flagship Galaxy S22, S23 and S24 to the mainstream Galaxy A, and revolutionary Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 smartphones with enhanced Galaxy AI features.
GaN runs up to 20x faster than legacy silicon and enables chargers up to 3x more power and 3x faster charging in half size and weight. GaNFast power ICs enable high-frequency, high-efficiency power conversion, achieving up to a 50% shrink vs. prior designs.
The new 25W charger (EP-T2510) features new energy-saving technology to reduce standby losses by 75% to only 5 mW, which aligns with Navitas’ environmental advances, where every GaNFast IC saves 4 kg of CO2 vs. legacy silicon chips.
“Since enabling the world’s first production GaN charger in 2018, Navitas has pioneered and leads the adoption of GaN to replace legacy silicon chips,” noted David Carroll, Sr. VP Worldwide Sales for Navitas. “Our production partnership with Samsung dates back to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and today’s announcement reflects the dramatic expansion of GaN from niche, flagship designs to adoption in high-volume, mainstream phones.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Navitas Semiconductor announced another GaNFast win at Samsung, this time a new 25W charger for the flagship Galaxy S23 smartphone. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a next-gen power-semi technology that is replacing legacy silicon chips in markets from mobile and consumer to data center, solar and EV.
The high-spec Galaxy S23 features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz screen with 1750 nits peak contrast, stretching it’s 1080 x 2340 pixels across 90.1 cm2 of Corning Gorilla Glass. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, up to 512GB / 8GB RAM of storage and triple cameras up to 50 MP, the S23 excels in mobile communication performance.
For power, the S23 features a 3900 mAh Li-Ion battery, and with the GaNFast 25W charger (model EP-T2510) with USB PD 3.0 interface, reaches 50% charge in only 30 minutes, and while in sleep mode, consumes only 5 mW of power. The PD 3.0 specification means that the new charger can power a range of devices from Galaxy Buds2 audio to Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Flip and Galaxy A23.
Navitas’ GaNFast technology is used in a high-frequency, quasi-resonant (HFQR) topology running at 150 kHz. GaNFast leading-edge, high-frequency performance shrinks the charger by more than 30%, and the Navitas device is fully qualified to Samsung’s stringent qualification requirements, with excellent delivery performance, quality and reliability.
“As pioneers in mobile fast charging, Navitas continues to lead the next-gen market, with all 10 of the top 10 mobile OEMs in production with GaNFast products,” said David Carroll, Sr. VP Worldwide Sales. “From 25 W to 20 MW, our expanding range of leading-edge GaN and SiC products cover everything from mobile and consumer to EVs, solar and industrial applications.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
