STMicro launches GaN power semiconductors

STMicroelectronics has added a new set of 700-volt gallium nitride power devices to its STPOWER portfolio, extending its push into wide-bandgap semiconductors for higher-voltage power conversion. The company said on May 26 that the parts are designed to improve efficiency and raise power density in high-demand applications tied to electrification, including AI servers, robotics, industrial systems and some advanced consumer products. (newsroom.st.com) The move matters because GaN is being used where designers want faster switching, smaller magnetics and tighter thermal budgets than conventional silicon power devices can typically support. ST says the new family is aimed at high-voltage power supplies and higher-frequency topologies, a segment where efficiency gains can translate into smaller system designs. (roboticstomorrow.com) ### Why did ST launch 700V GaN parts now? STMicroelectronics said the new devices address rising power demands in AI servers and other electrification-heavy systems that need more compact and efficient conversion stages. The company described the products as part of its response to performance requirements that are moving beyond the limits of conventional silicon technologies. (newsroom.st.com) The 700V rating places the parts in the medium- to high-power range, where engineers are balancing efficiency, switching frequency and size. Trade coverage of the launch said the family is intended for high-voltage power supplies in applications ranging from industrial infrastructure to robotics. (st.com) ### What is ST actually selling? ST said the launch covers 700V PowerGaN devices within its STPOWER portfolio. The company has separately described GaN as a material with high electron mobility that enables low on-resistance and high switching frequencies, characteristics it says are useful in next-generation power systems for electric vehicles and renewable-energy applications. (newsroom.st.com) ST already sells other GaN products, including integrated “smart GaN” devices and power ICs, so this release expands an existing product line rather than opening an entirely new category for the company. Its MasterGaN and VIPerGaN families target lower-power and integrated converter use cases, while the new 700V parts broaden the discrete high-voltage offering. (powersemiconductorsweekly.com) ### Where does GaN fit against silicon? Gallium nitride devices are being promoted across the power semiconductor industry as an alternative to silicon MOSFETs in designs that need faster switching and higher power density. ST says GaN can deliver gains in efficiency and compactness in high-frequency circuit topologies, while third-party coverage of the launch framed the new family as a response to demand for more compact power designs. (newsroom.st.com) Infineon has also been expanding its own GaN and silicon-carbide manufacturing plans, underscoring that wide-bandgap competition is broadening across power semiconductors. In 2024, Infineon said its Malaysia power fab would include GaN epitaxy, and the company has said 300 mm GaN development could widen the addressable market. (st.com) ### Which end markets is ST naming first? ST cited AI servers, robotics, industrial systems and advanced consumer applications including home appliances as early targets for the new devices. Those are all categories where power-conversion efficiency and board space are under pressure, particularly as compute loads and electrified subsystems rise. (st.com) The company’s broader GaN materials page also points to electric vehicles and renewable energy as areas where GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors can improve next-generation power systems. That indicates ST is positioning GaN across several electrification markets, not only data-center hardware. (inkworldmagazine.com) ### What should readers watch next? STMicroelectronics has directed customers to its product information page for the new 700V PowerGaN family, where it is listing device and application details. Any follow-on design wins are likely to show up first in power-supply, industrial and AI infrastructure reference designs rather than in a separate corporate announcement. (st.com) (roboticstomorrow.com)