News: Microelectronics
30 October 2025
onsemi unveils vertical GaN power semiconductors, based on proprietary GaN-on-GaN technology
Intelligent power and sensing technology firm onsemi of Scottsdale, AZ, USA has introduced vertical gallium nitride (vGaN) power semiconductors, which it claims sets a new benchmark for power density, efficiency and ruggedness for applications including AI data centers, electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, and aerospace, defence & security, as well as other energy-intensive applications. The proprietary GaN-on-GaN technology conducts current vertically, enabling higher operating voltages and faster switching frequencies, leading to energy savings to deliver smaller and lighter systems.
Developed and manufactured at onsemi’s fab in Syracuse, NY, onsemi holds over 130 global patents spanning fundamental process, device architecture, manufacturing and systems innovations for vertical GaN technology.
Picture: Fully processed GaN-on-GaN wafers manufactured in onsemi’s fab in Syracuse, NY.
“As electrification and AI reshape industries, efficiency has become the new benchmark that defines the measure of progress,” says Dinesh Ramanathan, senior VP of corporate strategy. “The addition of vertical GaN to our power portfolio gives our customers the ultimate toolkit to deliver unmatched performance.”
onsemi’s vGaN technology is designed to handle high voltages of 1200V and above in a monolithic die, switching high currents at high frequency with superior efficiency. High-end power systems using this technology can reduce energy loss by almost 50% and, by operating at higher frequencies, can also reduce the size, including passives like capacitors and inductors by a similar amount. Also, compared to commercially available lateral GaN, vGaN devices are about three times smaller.
onsemi says that this makes its vGaN suitable for critical high-power applications where power density, thermal performance and reliability are paramount, including:
- AI data centers: reduced component counts, increased power density for 800V DC-DC converters for AI compute systems to greatly improve cost per rack;
- electric vehicles: smaller, lighter and more efficient inverters, for increased EV range;
- charging infrastructure: faster, smaller, more rugged chargers;
- renewable energy: higher voltage handling, reduced energy losses for solar and wind inverters;
- energy storage systems (ESS): fast, efficient, high-density bidirectional power for battery converters and microgrids;
- industrial automation: smaller, cooler, higher-efficiency motor drives and robotics;
- aerospace, defense and security: higher performance, enhanced ruggedness and more compact designs.
onsemi is now sampling both 700V and 1200V devices to early-access customers.
