GaN devices provide improved switching characteristics and lower on resistance than silicon devices, enabling them to contribute to lower power consumption and miniaturisation of switching power supplies used in basestations and data centeres. They do, however include low rated gate-source voltage and overshoot voltage exceeding the maximum rating during switching pose major challenges to device reliability.

Rohm has increased the rated gate source voltage from typically 6.0 to 8.0V, to improve the design margin and increase the reliability of power supply circuits using GaN devices, explains the company. The company is also developing a dedicated package optimised for mounting and heat dissipation to replace silicon devices.

Sample shipments are planned for September 2021 for use in 48V input buck converter circuits for data centres and basestations, boost converter circuits for the power amplifier block of basestations, Class D audio amplifiers or lidar drive circuits and wireless charging circuits for portable devices.