News: Microelectronics
14 February 2024
CGD addressing challenges of data centers at APEC
At the IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference & Exposition (APEC 2024) in Long Beach, CA, USA (25–29 February), fabless firm Cambridge GaN Devices Ltd (CGD) — which was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 to design, develop and commercialize power transistors and ICs that use GaN-on-silicon substrates — will have its largest ever booth, as well as presenting papers including an analysis of how gallium nitride (GaN) can play a part in supporting the exponential growth in power demanded by data centers as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) proliferates.
“With data centers now demanding 100kW per rack and predicting even more in the very near future, power system designers are looking to employ GaN devices in new architectures,” notes CEO & co-founder Giorgia Longobardi. “At CGD we are addressing this challenge with new devices and reference designs which we will be discussing at APEC, along with many other applications where GaN can play a huge role in enabling sustainable electronics solutions that are more efficient, have high performance and are more compact.”
At APEC, CGD is present three papers:
- 27 February (15-15.30): ‘How ICeGaN technology can address the datacentre challenges that digitalisation brings’, with chief commercial officer Andrea Bricconi and VP of business development (Americas) Peter Di Maso;
- 28 February (09.10-09.30): ‘Evaluation of GaN HEMT dv/dt Immunity and dv/dt induced false turn-on energy loss’, with application engineer Nirmana Perera;
- 29 February (09:45-10:10): ‘Monolithic integration addresses the design challenges of GaN Power devices’, with director of business development & technical marketing Di Chen.
In booth 1553, CGD is presenting a range of demos designed to showcase what is claimed to be the industry’s first easy-to-use and scalable 650V GaN HEMT family. ICeGaN H2 single-chip eMode HEMTs can be driven like a MOSFET, without the need for special gate drivers, complex and lossy driving circuits, negative voltage supply requirements or additional clamping components. Addressing the increase in power required by server and industrial applications, CGD is showing a 350W PFC/LLC reference design using ICeGaN (650V, 55mΩ, H2 series). With a board power density of 23W/in3, the bridgeless CrM totem-pole PFC plus half-bridge LLC design has a peak efficiency of 95% (93% average) and a no-load power consumption of 150mW.
“GaN is now accepted as a reliable and proven technology that is able to deliver high efficiency and power density simultaneously,” says chief commercial officer Andrea Bricconi. “Data centers, with their insatiable need for power, are an obvious application for GaN, but there are many other consumer, industrial and automotive applications where GaN can also demonstrate the ability to be a disruptive technology,” he adds. “CGD has delivered industry’s most easy-to-use GaN technology – ICeGaN.”
CGD forms GaN ecosystem with Chicony Power and Cambridge University Technical Services
CGD signs global distribution deal with DigiKey
CGD launches second series of ICeGaN 650V HEMTs
