Power Integrations has announced the industry’s first gallium nitride (GaN) technology rated at up to 2200 V, significantly extending the voltage range of commercially available GaN devices. According to the company, the new PowiGaN™ technology is designed for next-generation AI data centers, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure.
The company says the new 2200 V technology provides the voltage margin required for emerging high-voltage power architectures while maintaining the high switching frequencies associated with GaN devices. Potential applications include future AI data centers adopting 1500 V power distribution, higher-voltage EV battery and auxiliary power systems, photovoltaic inverters and battery energy storage systems.
Power Integrations notes that GaN devices are increasingly replacing silicon transistors in power-conversion applications because of their higher efficiency and switching performance. Until now, higher-voltage applications have largely relied on silicon carbide (SiC) devices or more complex stacked GaN solutions. The company says its new 2200 V technology extends the use of GaN into voltage ranges traditionally served by SiC.
According to market research firm Yole Group, the move to higher-voltage bus architectures in AI data centers is reshaping the power semiconductor market, and higher-voltage GaN technologies are expected to play an increasingly important role as these systems evolve.
Source: Power Integrations
