News: Microelectronics
15 September 2026
EPC issues white papers on GaN power conversion for AI data centers and advanced motor drives
Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA — which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications — has issued two new technical white papers addressing critical power conversion challenges in two rapidly evolving markets: AI data centers and high-performance multi-axis motor drives.
The first white paper ‘GaN-Based Power Delivery in AI Data Centers: High-Density Power Conversion Architectures from 800VDC to Point-of-Load’ examines the transition toward 800VDC distribution as AI racks move from tens of kilowatts toward hundreds of kilowatts and megawatt-scale compute clusters. At 800VDC, a 200kW rack requires only one-sixteenth of the current of a 48V distribution bus, reducing conductor size, I2R losses, and cooling requirements.
The paper explores three architectures for converting 800VDC to 50V, 12.5V and 6.25V rails, with particular focus on modular input-series, output-parallel (ISOP) LLC converters. By dividing the high-voltage input among multiple modules, the architecture enables low-voltage GaN FETs with a better figure of merit, compared to higher-voltage devices, to perform high-ratio conversion at high switching frequencies.
Practical results demonstrate the performance potential: an 800V-to-50V implementation reaches 98.6% peak efficiency, while the EPC91123 800V-to-12.5V converter achieves 98.2% peak efficiency in an 8mm profile. A 6kW 800V-to-6.25V architecture reaches 98% peak and 97% full-load efficiency.
“As GPU power continues to increase, power conversion must move closer to the processor while minimizing conversion stages,” says Jason Zhang, VP of DC–DC marketing and system engineering at EPC. “Gen 7 GaN combined with modular ISOP architectures provides a practical path from an 800VDC backbone to the very low bus voltages and extremely high currents required by next-generation AI processors.”
The second white paper ‘From Device to Platform: EPC23108/09/10/11 100V Integrated GaN Power Stages Simplify Multi-Axis Motor Drive Design’ addresses the increasing complexity of motor drives used in humanoid robots, drones, surgical robotics, and precision motion systems.
The EPC231xx family integrates high- and low-side eGaN FETs, gate drive, level shifting, control interface, and protection functions into a monolithic GaN 100V ePower Stage IC. The accompanying EPC91128–EPC91131 three-phase BLDC/PMSM inverter platforms give engineers a complete environment to evaluate current capability, sensing, protection, thermal performance, and different PWM interfaces.
The platforms operate across a recommended 14–80V range (48V typical) and support switching frequencies from 20kHz to 150kHz. Complementary PWM versions maximize control flexibility, while single-PWM-input-pin versions reduce control-line count and wiring complexity — an increasingly important advantage as robotic systems scale to dozens of motors.
“In multi-axis robotics, power density is only part of the challenge,” says Marco Palma, VP motor drive marketing and system engineering at EPC. “Integration must also simplify control, protection, sensing, thermal management, and wiring. The EPC231xx family and its evaluation platforms give engineers a validated starting point that can be replicated efficiently across many motor axes.”
Together, the two white papers demonstrate how GaN is moving beyond component-level performance to enable complete power architectures - from multi-kilowatt AI infrastructure to compact, highly integrated motor drives.
Available in English and Chinese, the white papers can be downloaded via the links below:
- WP019 - From Device to Platform: EPC23108/109/110/11 100 V Integrated GaN Power Stages Simplify Multi-Axis Motor Drive Design
- WP020 - GaN-Based Power Delivery in AI Data Centers: High-Density Power Conversion Architectures from 800 VDC to Point-of-Load
EPC starts mass production of 100V integrated GaN power stages for high-performance motor drives
