News: Microelectronics
23 March 2026
Renesas adds GaN-based half-wave LLC platform to AC/DC and power adapter range
Renesas Electronics Corp of Tokyo, Japan has expanded its suite of AC/DC and power adapter solutions with a new gallium nitride (GaN)-based half-wave LLC (HWLLC) platform that supports 500W-or-higher operation across IoT, industrial and infrastructure systems.
The new HWLLC converter topology scales an ultra-efficient, compact power architecture from 100W-class designs to 500W, enabling the next wave of high-speed chargers for power tools, e-bikes and other appliances without the size, heat and efficiency penalties of legacy topologies.
The portfolio expansion adds four controller ICs that build on Renesas’ proprietary zero-standby power (ZSP) technology. At the heart is the RRW11011, an interleaved power-factor correction (PFC) and HWLLC combo controller engineered for high power density and high efficiency. The PFC with phase-shift control cancels ripple, reduces component size and cost, balances current and ensures robustness. The combo controller allows designers to lower operating temperature while delivering the wide output range (5V to 48V) required by USB extended power range (EPR) and other variable-load charging systems. The new solution also features the RRW30120 USB power delivery (USB PD) protocol and closed-loop controller, which achieves maximum USB power delivery of 240W, and the RRW40120 half-bridge GaN gate driver and RRW43110 intelligent synchronous rectifier controller. Together in a 240W USB EPR power adapter design, the new solution achieves the highest power density in the industry (3W/cc) and 96.5% peak efficiency.
The HWLLC’s wide 500W power envelope broadens the addressable charging market to encompass large TVs and monitors, as well as higher-power appliances like vacuums, power tools, outdoor and industrial lighting and some medical devices. The new HWLLC-based AC/DC topology also helps designers to move beyond 100W USB-C charging devices and adopt 240W USB EPR charging to shrink proprietary brick chargers in smartphones, laptops and many gaming systems.
Renesas’ compact, high-power fast charging technology was recently incorporated into a GaN-based charger from Belkin. The Belkin Z-Charger features an innovative ZSP chip with Renesas’ advanced SuperGaN depletion mode (d-mode) GaN technology.
“The Belkin Z-Charger is a major step toward a new era of ultra-low standby power consumption in fast charging,” says Jenny Ng, general manager of Belkin Asia.
GaN essential for increasing efficiency and power density
GaN technology drives the efficiency and power density behind Renesas’ next-generation AC/DC designs, enabling higher switching performance that helps to shrink magnetics, reduce losses and keep thermals in check. Renesas’ SuperGaN d-mode technology employs a cascode configuration that is more robust and easier to drive than other GaN implementations, with a higher threshold voltage and drop-in compatibility with standard silicon gate drivers. The result is a faster path for customers to achieve compact, high-efficiency power supplies that they can scale, validate and manufacture with greater confidence.
“Renesas’ HWLLC ecosystem brings interleaved PFC and resonant power conversion into a single, harmonized solution that delivers ultra-compact, wide-range AC/DC power with proven efficiency, low standby consumption and trusted integration support,” says Rohan Samsi, vice president, GaN business division at Renesas. “By strategically developing four advanced controller ICs, we’ve created the most optimized, coordinated ecosystem where each element contributes to higher density, improved thermals, reduced EMI/noise and greater operating efficiency.”
By eliminating transformer winding and reducing component count versus traditional LLC implementations, Renesas says that it reduces design complexity and enables more compact magnetics. The enhancement accelerates design re-use across product families that support different wattages, voltages and form factors while improving reliability and easing bill-of-materials (BOM) management. The highly integrated, wide Vin/Vout offline solution can help customers to build smaller, cooler and readily compliant products while achieving what is claimed to be standout no-load/standby performance that supports higher energy-efficiency ratings.
Availability
Renesas is showcasing the HWLLC solution in booth #1219 at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC 2026) in San Antonio, Texas, USA (22–25 March).
The four new devices enabling the HWLLC solution are available now in addition to an evaluation board. The EBC10293 240W USB PD EPR evaluation board includes integrated PFC, high-efficiency AC/DC conversion and USB PD control in a compact, high-power-density design.
Combinations
Renesas offers 240W AC/DC Adapter and 300W Lighting Power Platform solutions that combine the new products with numerous compatible devices from its portfolio. These Winning Combinations are technically vetted system architectures from mutually compatible devices that work together to bring an optimized, low-risk design for faster time to market. Renesas offers more than 400 Winning Combinations with a wide range of products from the Renesas portfolio to enable customers to speed up the design process and bring their products to market more quickly.
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