Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), a fabless, clean-tech semiconductor company that develops a range of energy-efficient GaN-based power devices to make greener electronics possible, has signed a tripartite agreement with Chicony Power Technology of Taiwan and Cambridge University Technical Services (CUTS), UK, to conceive and develop advanced, efficient, high power-density adapters and data center power products using GaN. Chicony Power is a well-established total solution provider of power electronics systems focusing on power supplies and adapters for various applications, including notebooks, desktop computers, gaming devices, and server/cloud solutions. Prof. Florin Udrea, the head of the High Voltage Microelectronics and Sensor (HVMS) group at Cambridge University will act as the lead consultant on behalf of CUTS. The HVMS group at Cambridge University has a history of 25 years in power device design, TCAD simulations, and characterization of power devices. The three parties will collaborate around a technical project entitled ‘Innovative low power and high power SMPS (switch mode power supplies) with advanced GaN solutions’.
CGD has historic and ongoing links with Cambridge University via CEO, Giorgia Longobardi, and CTO, Florin Udrea who also still leads the HVMS group. Chicony Power is a world leader in switch mode power supplies at the edge of technological innovation, and the HVMS group at Cambridge University is renowned for their research and innovation in power semiconductor devices so this collaboration represents the creation of a significant GaN eco-system consisting of expertise in systems and applications, research and devices. The project is expected to deliver SMPS prototypes for highly efficient, high-density adapters for notebooks – where Chicony Power is the market leader – and Titanium+ efficiency / High Power Density (> 100 W/inch3) CRPS and OCP power shelf (3 kW ~ 6 kW) power supply unit for data centers and AI server applications.
Commented Giorgia Longobardi, Chief Executive Officer, CGD “Chicony Power is one of the leading SMPS manufacturers in the world, so this agreement represents an incredible milestone in CGD’s journey to deliver an efficient power device technology both to our customers and to society in general. The combined strengths of our businesses together with the world-renowned HVMS group at Cambridge University will accelerate the development and adoption of high energy-density power solutions in wide-ranging applications.”
Commented Peter Tseng, President, Chicony Power Technology “Chicony Power intends to collaborate with CGD and HVMS because of their significant expertise in GaN. CGD has already delivered its second series of ICeGaN HEMT devices which offer top-notch performance in terms of ruggedness and ease-of-use. And because of its roots and still strong links with Cambridge University, CGD can call upon 25 years of academic experience – more than many other established GaN companies.”
Recently, CGD launched the second series of its ICeGaN 650 V gallium nitride HEMT family. H2 Series ICeGaN HEMTs employ CGD’s smart gate interface that virtually eliminates typical e-mode GaN weaknesses, delivering significantly improved overvoltage robustness, higher noise-immune threshold, dV/dt suppression, and ESD protection. Like previous-generation devices, the new 650 V H2 ICeGaN transistors are simple to drive using commercially available industry gate drivers. Finally, H2 ICeGaN HEMTs feature a QG that is 10x lower than silicon parts and a QOSS that is 5x less. This greatly reduces switching losses, with corresponding reductions in size and weight.