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Vertical GaN Power Devices from onsemi Mark a Major Breakthrough for the AI and Electrification Era
onsemi’s Vertical GaN Technology Signals a New Phase in High-Voltage Power Electronics
As global demand for electricity accelerates under the weight of AI computing, large-scale cloud infrastructure, electric vehicles, next-generation renewable energy systems, and industrial automation, semiconductor manufacturer onsemi has introduced what it calls one of the most disruptive power technologies of the decade: vertical GaN (vGaN) power devices.
Unlike today’s mainstream GaN devices based on lateral structures and grown on silicon or sapphire substrates, onsemi’s new devices are GaN-on-GaN, allowing current to flow vertically through the semiconductor instead of horizontally along the surface. The company claims this architectural shift enables far higher voltage capability, faster switching, drastically lower energy loss, and dramatically smaller system footprint.
According to onsemi executives, the technology is already sampling in 700-volt and 1200-volt device classes, with a roadmap extending to even higher voltages targeting markets where silicon carbide (SiC) and superjunction MOSFETs are currently dominant.
“Vertical GaN is not just an incremental improvement—it’s a fundamental reset of what high-voltage power semiconductors can deliver,”
said Dinesh Ramanathan, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy at onsemi.
“As electrification and AI reshape industrial and consumer landscapes, every watt saved translates into lower cost, longer runtime, and more sustainable technology ecosystems.”
Energy Demand from AI and Electrification Is Surging Faster Than the Grid Can Adapt
A decade ago, concerns about energy consumption in computing largely centered on mobile devices and cloud workloads. But with the rapid rise of GPU-based AI training clusters, hyperscale data centers are now consuming as much power as mid-sized cities.
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By 2030, global data centers may require over 1,000 terawatt-hours annually, according to IEA forecasts — more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan today.
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A single AI server can draw 8× more power than a conventional cloud server.
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Next-generation EV platforms require 800-volt architectures, pushing semiconductor voltage and thermal limits.
In parallel, renewable infrastructure is scaling faster than expected:
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More than 50% of global new electricity capacity now comes from solar and wind.
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Grid-scale energy storage (ESS) is growing 30%+ annually, requiring high-efficiency bidirectional conversion.
Across all of these domains, power efficiency has shifted from a cost metric to a strategic bottleneck — and that is the context in which onsemi is introducing vGaN.
Why Vertical GaN Is Different from Conventional GaN
Today’s commercial GaN power devices are primarily lateral GaN grown on silicon substrates, which limits voltage handling capability and requires complex packaging to manage heat. By contrast, onsemi’s GaN-on-GaN vertical structure offers several engineering advantages:
| Feature | Lateral GaN (on Silicon) | Vertical GaN (GaN-on-GaN) |
|---|---|---|
| Current flow | Horizontal / surface | Vertical / through substrate |
| Voltage range | < 650V typical | 700V – 2000V capability |
| Power density | Moderate | Up to 3× higher |
| Thermal behavior | Limited by silicon | Native GaN thermal conductivity |
| Switching speed | High | Ultra-high (suitable for MHz class) |
| Reliability in harsh conditions | Moderate | Significantly higher |
| System size (passives) | Large | Up to 50% reduction |
Because GaN is used as both the active layer and substrate, thermal resistance is lower, heat spreads faster, and avalanche reliability improves, solving the biggest weakness of surface GaN devices.
Potential Impact Across Seven High-Power Sectors
onsemi has stated that vGaN is not meant to compete with existing lateral GaN in consumer chargers or small power supplies. Instead, it is positioned for applications where kilowatt- to megawatt-scale efficiency gains deliver direct economic or performance impact.
✅ 1. AI Data Centers
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Enables higher-efficiency 800V DC-DC converters
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Can reduce capacitor & inductor volume by ~50%
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Higher switching frequency means fewer components, lower BOM cost
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Improves rack-level power density, delaying need for new power rooms
✅ 2. Electric Vehicles
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Shrinks drivetrain inverter size by 30–50%
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Improves efficiency, extending EV range per kWh
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Reduces cooling system mass, allowing lighter battery packs
✅ 3. Fast-Charging Infrastructure
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Enables compact 350kW+ ultra-fast chargers
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Replaces SiC in designs requiring extreme switching speeds
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Improves uptime because of lower thermal stress
✅ 4. Renewable Energy Inverters
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Allows higher voltage string in solar / wind systems
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Cuts conversion losses, improving LCOE (Levelized Cost of Energy)
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Smaller magnetics → lower installation weight, faster deployment
✅ 5. Energy Storage Systems (ESS)
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Optimizes bidirectional converters for microgrids
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Raises round-trip efficiency in long-duration BESS
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Reduces cabinet volume in containerized energy storage
✅ 6. Industrial Automation & Robotics
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Smaller, cooler servo drives
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Enables thinner, lighter robotic actuators
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More reliable operation in high-duty-cycle factories
✅ 7. Aerospace & Defense
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High tolerance to radiation and extreme thermal conditions
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Lighter power supplies for avionics, satellites, and electrified aircraft
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High-speed switching improves power-to-weight ratio — a mission-critical metric
130+ Patents and Full Vertical Integration in the U.S.
The technology was developed at onsemi’s Syracuse, New York R&D and manufacturing facility, which the company has been expanding as part of U.S.-based semiconductor supply chain initiatives.
According to internal disclosures:
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vGaN platform already includes 130+ issued and pending patents
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Covers device architecture, epitaxy, packaging, wafer processing, and system topology
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First engineering samples are being evaluated by “top-tier automotive, cloud compute, and renewable OEMs”
The company did not publicly disclose names, but analysts expect early adopters to include Tier-1 EV inverter suppliers and hyperscale cloud operators pursuing liquid-cooled AI power racks.
Industry Analysts: vGaN Could Reshape the SiC vs GaN Landscape
For the past five years, the race to replace silicon in high-power applications has largely centered on silicon carbide (SiC), now widely used in EV inverters and solar inverters. Vertical GaN introduces what analysts call a third path:
“If onsemi reaches volume scaling, vertical GaN may offer the switching speed of GaN with the voltage headroom of SiC, which would be highly disruptive,”
said Mark Fitzgerald, Yole Intelligence Senior Analyst.
“The question is not whether the physics work — they clearly do — but how fast the cost curve drops with high-volume wafers.”
Omdia projects the wide-bandgap power semiconductor market to exceed $12 billion by 2030, with GaN and SiC both growing >30% CAGR. A viable 1200-volt GaN device could shift billions in future design wins.
Technology Challenges and Roadmap
Even with strong performance advantages, vGaN faces several technical and industrial hurdles:
| Challenge | Industry Concern |
|---|---|
| Wafer Cost | Native GaN substrates remain expensive vs silicon |
| Yield Maturity | 1200V devices require defect-free crystal quality |
| Packaging Innovation | Ultra-high-speed switching demands low-inductance design |
| Automotive Qualification | Must achieve AEC-Q101 and lifetime reliability data |
| Supply Scaling | Needs multi-fab capacity to compete at EV or datacenter volumes |
onsemi has confirmed that its first automotive-grade vGaN platform will enter reliability testing in 2025, with full mass production expected between 2026–2027, aligned with next-gen EV platform cycles.
A Turning Point in Power Electronics?
The introduction of vertical GaN arrives at a critical moment: AI workloads, transportation electrification, renewable grids, and storage all depend on breakthroughs in power efficiency, not just compute performance.
The industry has spent decades increasing transistor density and cloud bandwidth, but global infrastructure is now hitting energy ceilings before performance ceilings.
“We are moving into a world where power electronics, not processors, determine the limits of innovation,”
said Ramanathan.
“The future of AI, mobility, and sustainability is directly tied to how efficiently we move electrons.”
For now, onsemi’s vertical GaN technology remains in its early deployment phase — but if adoption follows the trajectory of GaN chargers or SiC in EVs, the company may have positioned itself at the front of the next decade-long materials transition in power semiconductors.
Conclusion
Vertical GaN may represent one of the most consequential advancements in high-voltage power switching since the commercialization of SiC MOSFETs. With its combination of ultra-high voltage capability, megahertz-class switching, reduced thermal load, and compact system integration, the technology is poised to impact the largest electrification markets of the 2030s — from AI supercomputing farms to electric aircraft powertrains.
If onsemi successfully industrializes the platform at competitive cost, the power electronics sector may witness a reshaping not just of component choice, but of infrastructure scaling economics — where power density becomes the new Moore’s Law.
