News: Microelectronics
24 September 2021
Navitas and BRUSA announce technology development partnership
GaN power integrated circuit firm Navitas Semiconductor of El Segundo, CA, USA and Dublin, Ireland and BRUSA HyPower AG (a provider of smart power electronic components and systems for motive and stationary applications) have announced a technology development partnership to accelerate the adoption of Navitas’ GaN power ICs to reduce the size and weight of power electronic components used in electric vehicle (EV) charging.
Founded in 2014, Navitas introduced what it claimed to be the first commercial gallium nitride power integrated circuits. Its proprietary GaNFast power ICs monolithically integrate GaN power field-effect transistors (FETs) and GaN drive plus control and protection circuits in a single SMT package. Since GaN is reckoned to run up to 20x faster than silicon, GaNFast power ICs are said to deliver up to 3x faster charging or 3x more power in half the size and weight, and with up to 40% energy savings compared with silicon chips. GaN power ICs dominate flagship mobile fast chargers and are progressing into higher-power markets, such as data centers, solar energy and electric vehicles (EVs).
Dr Bernhard Budaker, vice president at BRUSA, recently introduced the firm’s technology roadmap and how the company is planning to develop the next generation of on-board chargers (OBCs) and DC-DC converters adopting a new generation of GaN power semiconductor technology.
“BRUSA HyPower is convinced that gallium nitride will enable us to further improve our products,” says Budaker. “The main advantages of Navitas GaN power ICs, are simplicity of driving high-speed switching performance, increased reliability and compact form factor. The technological insights provided by Navitas enable us to conduct advanced engineering projects,” he adds.
“BRUSA’s leading-edge insight and comprehensive review of next-generation technologies highlights how GaN power ICs help to overcome three obstacles to EV adoption: range anxiety, long charging time and cost,” says Navitas’ co-founder & CEO Gene Sheridan. “With up to 70% energy savings, we estimate up to 3x faster charging, and 5% longer range or a $500 saving on a typical EV battery. With a roadmap to address on-board chargers, DC-DC converters and traction drives, Navitas estimates a potential $250 of GaN revenue per EV in 2026.”
Independent, international environmental research company DNV estimates that the adoption of EVs worldwide could be accelerated by up to three years by adopting GaN, saving 20% of road sector emissions each year by 2050 in the process.
