News: Microelectronics
6 June 2024
onsemi unveils complete power solution to improve energy efficiency for data centers
onsemi of Scottsdale, AZ, USA claims that the combination of its latest-generation T10 PowerTrench family and EliteSiC 650V MOSFETs create a solution that offers unparalleled efficiency and high thermal performance in a smaller footprint for data-center applications.
As data centers become increasingly power-hungry to support the tremendous processing requirements of AI workloads, the need for boosting energy efficiency is paramount.
Compared with a typical search engine request, an AI-supported engine request requires more than 10x the power, leading to data-center power needs expected to reach an estimated 1000TWh globally in less than two years (according to the IEA report ‘Electricity 2024’). To process one AI-supported request, energy is converted four times from the grid to the processor, which can result in an energy loss of about 12%. Using the T10 PowerTrench family and EliteSiC 650V solution, data centers are able to reduce power losses by an estimated 1%. If implemented in data centers globally, the solution could reduce energy consumption by 10TWh annually (equivalent of the energy required to fully power nearly one million homes per year (based on annual household power consumption from US Energy Information Administration).
The EliteSiC 650V MOSFET is said to offer superior switching performance and lower device capacitances to achieve higher efficiency in data centers and energy storage systems. Compared with the previous generation, the new-generation silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs have halved the gate charge and reduced both the energy stored in output capacitance (Eoss) and the output charge (Qoss) by 44%. With no tail current during turn-off and superior performance at high temperatures, they can also significantly reduce switching losses compared with super-junction (SJ) MOSFETs. This allows customers to downsize system components while increasing the operating frequency, resulting in an overall reduction in system costs.
Separately, the T10 PowerTrench family is engineered to handle high currents, crucial for DC-DC power conversion stages, and offers increased power density and superior thermal performance in a compact footprint. This is achieved through a shield gate trench design with an ultra-low gate charge and an on-resistance (RDS(on)) of less than 1mΩ. Additionally, the soft recovery body diode and lower Qrr effectively minimizes ringing, overshoots and electrical noise to ensure optimal performance, reliability and robustness under stress. The T10 PowerTrench family also meets the stringent standards required for automotive applications.
The combined solution also meets the stringent Open Rack V3 (ORV3) base specification required by hyperscale operators to support the next generation of high-power processors.
“AI and electrification are reshaping our world and skyrocketing power demands. Accelerating innovation in power semiconductors to improve energy efficiency is key to enabling these technological megatrends. This is how we power the future responsibly,” says Simon Keeton, group president, Power Solutions Group, at onsemi. “Our latest solution can significantly reduce power losses that occur during the energy conversion process and have a meaningful impact on the demands for the next generation of data centers.”
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