Power Integrations has announced an expansion of its PowiGaN™ gallium-nitride (GaN) technology platform to a 2200 V voltage rating, establishing what the company identifies as the highest voltage capability among commercially available GaN solutions. The development targets high-voltage applications across data center, electric vehicle, renewable energy, and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure segments.
The advancement addresses a growing industry requirement for higher-voltage bus architectures as power systems seek improved density without sacrificing efficiency. While GaN-based power switches have increasingly displaced silicon transistors in power conversion applications—owing to superior efficiency and higher switching frequencies—existing GaN technology has faced voltage ceilings that limit its applicability in next-generation high-power infrastructure roadmaps.
Historically, designers seeking to accommodate higher-voltage requirements have relied on two primary alternatives: silicon carbide (SiC) devices, which typically operate at lower switching frequencies, or configurations of stacked, lower-voltage GaN components. Both approaches introduce trade-offs, including reduced power density, increased design complexity, and potential reliability concerns associated with multi-device stacking architectures.
Power Integrations’ existing PowiGaN portfolio already includes 1700 V-rated ICs deployed in single-stage auxiliary power applications for data centers, alongside 1250 V devices used as an alternative to stacked configurations within the main power path of 800 VDC data center architectures. The newly introduced 2200 V rating extends this capability further, enabling support for higher-voltage bus designs while avoiding the architectural compromises associated with stacked or SiC-based alternatives.
According to the company, this higher voltage rating is intended to support power system designs not only within data center infrastructure but also across electric vehicle powertrains, photovoltaic inverter systems, and battery energy storage applications—sectors where increasing power density and voltage headroom are becoming central design considerations. By extending GaN’s voltage ceiling, Power Integrations positions PowiGaN as a scalable solution capable of addressing near-term and future infrastructure requirements without necessitating a shift to alternative semiconductor technologies or more complex circuit topologies.
