GaN Talk Blog

This article orginally appeared on EE Times.

The power MOSFET market is large and well established, and is expected to reach a value of around $14 billion by 2027. It is generally divided into three voltage segments: below 40 V, 40–200 V, and above 600 V. The segment below 200 V accounts for roughly 75% of the total market. It is in this segment that most of the target applications of Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) are concentrated, including AI servers, 48-V power converters, robotics, and autonomous machines. This makes it a crucial battleground for the adoption of GaN technology. By focusing on higher efficiency, increased power density, and simpler system design, GaN technology is increasingly positioning itself as a viable replacement for silicon in modern power conversion systems.

In the ever-evolving world of power electronics, where efficiency, size, and reliability are paramount, EPC is setting a new benchmark with its latest innovation: the EPC2366. This 40 V GaN FET, packaged in an ultra-compact 3.3 by 2.6 millimeter QFN footprint, exemplifies the cutting edge of power semiconductor technology.

In an interview with Judith Cheng, Editor at Large at MakerPROTW, Alex Lidow, co-founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion (EPC), described the company’s seventh-generation gallium nitride (GaN) technology, now in mass production, and its implications for low-voltage applications that have traditionally been dominated by silicon MOSFETs. With devices such as the 40 V EPC2366 already in volume production, EPC is positioning GaN as a mainstream option for 40 V and below - a market that exceeds the size of the 100 V segment where GaN first gained traction.

Michael A. de Rooij and Alejandro .P. Pozo

This article orginally appeared on EEPower.

Artificial intelligence is now in vogue - and its influence will only continue to grow. Today, the real challenge lies in delivering the energy demands at optimal efficiency levels. NVIDIA recently released a white paper¹ showing that an 800‑volt DC architecture combined with energy storage solutions represents an alternative approach to meeting the needs of modern and future AI server infrastructures. These systems will require power delivery in megawatts, not just kilowatts. The enabling technology is GaN. In collaboration with NVIDIA, EPC has developed a cost-effective, low-profile 800 VDC‑to‑12.5 VDC converter² capable of delivering up to 6 kW. The design leverages EPC’s latest 150 V and 40 V GaN device^3,4, fitting within a footprint of 5,000 mm² and a total thickness of only 8 mm. The design exemplifies how GaN FETs can achieve a combination of high efficiency and high power-density while keeping costs low, aiming to achieve 97% efficiency at full load.

At the Bodo Power Systems Wide Band Gap Forum in Monaco, EPC founder and CEO Alex Lidow set the tone for the GaN discussion, highlighting the significant advantage of gallium nitride (GaN) by drawing on fifty years of experience in power semiconductors. Speaking alongside experts from Texas Instruments, Navitas, Infineon, Toshiba, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi, he positioned GaN as the superior choice for low-voltage, high-frequency systems—from AI data centers and humanoid robots to autonomous vehicles and LiDAR. While SiC remains the go-to for high voltages, Lidow highlighted GaN as the cost-effective technology already reshaping point-of-load power—and much more.

As humanoid robots evolve to replicate human movement with precision and agility, engineers face an increasing demand for compact, efficient, and responsive motor drives. The EPC91120 reference design demonstrates how GaN integration enables inverter electronics to be embedded directly inside robotic joints—reducing weight, improving efficiency, and enhancing motion control.

As server and data center operators demand higher efficiency and greater power density, power supply designers are increasingly turning to gallium nitride (GaN) technology. GaN’s fast switching speeds, low losses, and compact device footprints enable system architectures that would be impractical with silicon.

As artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and space systems redefine what’s possible in power electronics, gallium nitride (GaN) technology continues to lead the transformation. In a recent interview with Electronic Product Design & Test (EPDT), Dr. Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC, shared his perspective on how GaN is reshaping the semiconductor landscape — and what’s next for this fast-evolving technology.

As gallium nitride (GaN) adoption accelerates in applications from data centers and robotics to automotive and consumer electronics, packaging plays an increasingly critical role. EPC’s thermally enhanced power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) packages deliver the performance and density engineers demand, but success in real-world systems depends on one thing: reliable assembly.

A motor drive inverter reference design featuring a wide input range from 30 V to 140 V is suitable for battery systems of 80 V, 110 V, and more. Examples of applications include industrial automation systems, agricultural machinery, and material handling equipment such as forklifts. This blog post discusses the design of an off-the-shelf reference design for these systems, with a focus on the PCB layout developed to optimize the performance of the GaN FETs used.