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GAN POWER Navitas ships 13 million GaN power ICs after Dell partnership

From Luke James

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Navitas semiconductor says that it has shipped more than 13 million of its GaNFast power ICs with zero errors to companies including Dell, Lenovo, and Xiaomi, demonstrating the potential for this technology in modern charging applications.

Dell USB-C Enhanced Power Adapter (PA901), which uses Navitas’ GaN technology.
Dell USB-C Enhanced Power Adapter (PA901), which uses Navitas’ GaN technology.
(Source: Navitas Semiconductor)

Gallium nitride (GaN) based power Integrated Circuits (ICs) are thought to be capable of running up to 100 times faster than silicon chips while simultaneously leading to energy savings up to 40 percent and being three times as power dense.

According to Navitas Semiconductor - the world’s first GaN power IC company founded in 2014 - its GaNFast power IC technology, which integrates power, analog, and digital circuits, are the highest performing, most integrated, and lowest-system-cost power GaN devices currently available on the market.

13 million units shipped

The company has recently announced that it has shipped over 13 million of these GaN power ICs with zero failures, demonstrating how rapidly GaN is being adopted in the fast-charging consumer electronics market and other key areas.

These GaN power ICs are primarily being shipped to many of Navitas’ tier-1 customers who include Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Dell.

Dell is the most recent adoptee of Navitas’ power GaN technology, with the computing giant last month announcing that it was to use the technology in its Dell USB-C Enhanced Power Adapter (PA901), a dual-output fast charger with 90 W available via a USB-C connection for high-power laptop charging. The fast charger also provides an extra 10 W via USB-A to simultaneously charge a smartphone.

The adapter uses Dell ExpressCharge™ for a quick boost of up to 35 percent in just 15 minutes and will charge the Dell Latitude up to 80 percent in under an hour.

“Dell’s adoption of fast-charging GaN is another blow to the old, slow, silicon chip. Navitas’ design, applications and quality teams passed a series of rigorous technology, performance and reliability reviews with Dell to ensure a safe and successful adapter launch,” said Navitas’ CEO and co-founder Gene Sheridan at the time.

Two of Navitas’ NV6117 GaNFast power ICs are used in the adapter. One is used for the critical conduction mode boost power factor correction circuit and the other for the DC-DC quasi-resonant flyback.

Powering award winners

Dell’s PA901 power adapter represents the latest efforts of Navitas when it comes to GaN applications, enabling a product to be released that showcases the benefits of these next-gen ICs to the fullest.

Other products that use Navitas’ GaN technologies have also performed well. At CES 2021, two Navitas customers were announced as Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards Honorees. These include Chargeasap, which received an award for its high-power 200W Omega 2C+2A charger, and ADG, which was awarded for its 100W “9-in-1” power and communications hub.

Both of these designs use Navitas’ GaNFast power ICs to deliver high performance in ultra-compact form factors, demonstrating beyond doubt just how powerful the technology is and the possibilities that lay ahead for it.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) helps Navitas manufacture its GaN chips with its own leading GaN process technology. This has allowed Navitas to quickly bring GaNFast power ICs to market and accelerate applications in areas like LED lighting, efficient data centers, and electric vehicles.

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