Onsemi has introduced GaNEXUS, a gallium nitride (GaN) power portfolio targeting efficiency and density gains in AI data centers, industrial automation, and energy infrastructure.
Portfolio overview
The initial GaNEXUS release includes FETs sampling across 40V to 650V ranges. The 650V GaNEXUS Smart GaN FETs integrate protection features to simplify system integration and improve reliability. The portfolio complements onsemi’s existing silicon and EliteSiC technologies, offering customers a broader set of options to optimize performance, efficiency, thermal behavior, and total system cost across power delivery architectures.
Market drivers
AI infrastructure, electrification, and industrial automation are driving demand for more compact and efficient power systems. Onsemi notes that AI data centers alone could consume up to 9% of U.S. electricity by 2030, with power and cooling accounting for up to 40% of operating expenses. GaNEXUS addresses these pressures by enabling faster switching, lower losses, and higher power density than conventional silicon solutions.
Technical advantages
GaNEXUS devices reduce magnetics size by 30–60% and improve power density by 1.5x–2x in low- and medium-voltage applications such as 48V intermediate bus converters and battery backup units. In higher-voltage systems like AI power shelves and PFC stages, the portfolio delivers up to 60% reduction in magnetics and 0.5–1% efficiency gains with meaningful thermal and operating-cost impact at scale. The GaNEXUS Smart variant reduces system risk and simplifies power stage design for faster qualification.
The portfolio uses thermally enhanced packages with industry-standard footprints, including TOLL bottom cooling, TOLT top cooling, and dual-cooling 3.3mm x 3.3mm and 5mm x 6mm options, supporting dual sourcing.
System-level integration
GaNEXUS can pair with onsemi’s Treo Platform for integrated sensing, control, protection, and power management. This system-level approach helps customers simplify design complexity, accelerate development, reduce thermal requirements, and optimize performance across the full power delivery chain.
Forward-looking significance
GaNEXUS represents a strategic expansion of onsemi’s power portfolio at a time when AI and electrification are straining conventional power architectures. By combining GaN’s switching speed and efficiency with integrated protection and system-level integration, onsemi is positioning to help engineers overcome thermal and size constraints that have limited legacy designs. The portfolio’s success will depend on adoption in high-volume data center and industrial applications, but the technical foundation is clear: GaN is no longer a niche technology, but a core enabler for next-generation power systems.
