This collaboration aims to revolutionize power systems in consumer, industrial, and automotive markets, enhancing applications from renewable energy to electric vehicles.
Element14 has announced a new global distribution partnership with Transphorm, a leader in designing and manufacturing high-voltage GaN (gallium nitride) semiconductors for power conversion applications. Transphorm’s SuperGaN power semiconductors leverage one of the largest power GaN IP portfolios, with over 1,000 patents, and are available in various device packages. This technology is built on a normally-off d-mode GaN platform, providing significant robustness and reliability. Products using SuperGaN FETs benefit from higher power density, increased efficiency, and lower total power system costs compared to alternative solutions.
Transphorm’s SuperGaN devices offer:
- Efficiency over 99%
- Up to 50% higher power density
- Up to 20% lower system cost
- Proven robustness and reliability
- Compatibility with all other high voltage power technologies
- Support for a wide range of power applications from 40W to 7.5kW, with higher power ratings expected soon
The company has achieved several industry firsts, including the 1200 V GaN-on-Sapphire device set for commercial release in mid-2024, short-circuit withstand times of five microseconds, and a GaN four quadrant switch with true voltage and current bidirectionality control.
Vipin Bothra, VP of Sales for North America and Europe at Transphorm, said, “The power electronics market is changing as power conversion technologies like our SuperGaN platform drive major design and performance advantages. Our GaN devices are being adopted globally across consumer, industrial, and automotive markets. Partnering with well-respected global distributors like element14 is essential to meeting our objective of providing customers with access to our devices. We look forward to a strong, mutually beneficial relationship that helps revolutionize power systems in various applications, including adapters, PCs, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles.”
Jose Lok, element14’s Product Category Director for Passives & Semiconductors, stated, “Onboarding Transphorm as a new supplier supports our commitment to deliver high-quality products to customers, allowing them to choose preferred manufacturers and the best GaN device package and performance for their design needs.” Headded, “The primary advantage of SuperGaN is the use of GaN in its native d-mode form. This approach maximizes the device’s electron mobility and charge while minimizing temperature effects, resulting in the highest performing solution across the widest power spectrum compared to other Si and WBG technologies.”
