New ICeGaN GaN Power ICs Enable the Highest Efficiency Levels for Data Centres, Inverters and Industrial SMPS

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), the fabless, clean-tech semiconductor company that develops energy-efficient GaN-based power devices that make greener electronics possible, has launched its lowest ever on-resistance (RDS(on)) parts which have been engineered with a new die and new packages to deliver the benefits of GaN to high-power applications such as data centres, inverters, motor drives and other industrial power supplies. New ICeGaN™ P2 series ICs feature RDS(on) levels down to 25 mΩ, supporting multi kW power levels with the highest efficiency

ANDREA BRICCONI, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, CGD “The explosive growth of AI is leading to a significant increase in energy consumption, prompting data centre systems designers to prioritise the use of GaN for high-power, efficient power solutions. This new series of Power GaN ICs is a stepping stone for CGD to support our customers and partners by achieving and exceeding 100 kW/rack power density in data centres, required by most recent TDP (Thermal Design Power) trends for high-density computing. Turning to motor control inverters, developers are looking to GaN to reduce heat for smaller, longer-lasting system power. These are just two examples of markets that CGD is now aggressively targeting with these new high-power ICeGaN ICs. Simplified gate driver design and reduced system costs, combined with advanced high-performance packaging, make P2 series ICs an excellent choice for these applications.”

Incorporating an on-chip Miller Clamp to eliminate shoot-through losses during fast switching and implementing 0 V turn off to minimise reverse conduction losses, ICeGaN ICs outperform discrete e-Mode GaN and other incumbent technologies. The new packages offer improved thermal resistance performance as low as 0.28 K/W – again, equivalent or better than anything else currently available on the market – and the dual-gate pinout of the dual side DHDFN-9-1 (Dual Heat-spreader DFN) package facilitates optimal PCB layout and simple paralleling for scalability, enabling customers to address multi kW applications with ease. The new packages have also been engineered to improve productivity, with wettable flanks to simplify optical inspection.

New P2 Series ICeGaN power ICs are sampling now. The family includes four devices with RDS(on) levels of 25 mΩ and 55 mΩ, rated at 60 A and 27 A, in 10 x 10 mm footprint DHDFN-9-1 and BHDFN-9-1 (Bottom Heat-spreader DFN) packages. In common with all CGD ICeGaN products, the P2 series can be driven using any standard MOSFET or IGBT driver.

Two demo boards feature the new P2 devices: a single leg of a 3-phase automotive inverter demo board, developed in partnership with the French public R&I institute IFP Energies nouvelles, and a 3 kW totem-pole power factor correction demo board.

About Cambridge GaN Devices

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) designs, develops and commercialises GaN transistors and ICs enabling a radical step change in energy efficiency and compactness. Our mission is to bring innovation into everyday life by delivering effortless energy-efficient GaN solutions. CGD’s ICeGaN™ technology is proven suitable for high-volume production, and the company is rapidly scaling up with manufacturing and customer partnerships in place. A fabless enterprise, CGD was spun out from Cambridge University, and its founders, CEO Dr. Giorgia Longobardi, and CTO Professor Florin Udrea, still retain strong links with the world-renowned High Voltage Microelectronics and Sensors group (HVMS) at the University. CGD’s ICeGaN HEMT technology is protected by a strong and constantly growing IP portfolio, which is a result of the company’s commitment to innovation. The technical and commercial expertise of the CGD team, combined with an extensive track record in the power electronics market, has been fundamental to the market acceptance of its proprietary technology.