The annual Applied Power Electronics Conference & Exposition (APEC 2026) showcases hundreds of companies that exhibit their latest component and technology advances for system power designers across a wide range of industries. Many of these devices deliver on growing requirements for higher efficiency and higher power density, along with simplifying design to reduce complexity and accelerate time to market.
Power device manufacturers claim major technology advances, including topologies and packaging, for applications ranging from AI data centers and humanoid robotics to fast-charging mobile devices. Still a big area of development is wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, including gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, addressing the need for simpler designs and more flexibility.
Here is a selection of power devices featured at APEC 2026 that target improvements in efficiency and power density, along with simplifying design and saving board space. These are used in a wide range of applications, including AI data centers, appliances, automotive, e-mobility, industrial automation, and robotics.
Breakthroughs and advances
Offering an alternative to resonant power designs, Power Integrations (PI) announced a topology that it calls a breakthrough for flyback power supply design by extending the power range of flyback converters to 440 W. The TOPSwitchGaN flyback IC family combines the company’s PowiGaN technology with its TOPSwitch IC architecture, reducing complexity and improving manufacturability. It can also eliminate heat sinks in many cases, according to PI, and shorten design time and lower total system cost.
TOPSwitchGaN ICs feature 92% efficiency across the load range—from 10% to 100% load—and exceed European Energy-related Products (ErP) regulations at less than 50-mW power consumption for standby and off modes, and it is accomplished without the need for synchronous rectification, PI said. They are suited for high-end appliances, e-bike chargers, and industrial applications.
PowiGaN switches deliver a much lower on-state resistance (RDS(on)) than silicon, which reduces conduction losses, dramatically increasing the power capability of flyback converters, PI said. Thanks to the integration of the 800-V PowiGaN switches, the devices can operate at switching frequencies of up to 150 kHz to minimize transformer size. Other specs include no-load consumption at below 50 mW at 230 VAC, including line sense, and up to 210 mW of output power for 300-mW input at 230 VAC to run housekeeping functions when units are in standby mode.
For ultra-slim designs, TOPSwitchGaN ICs are available in low-profile eSOP-12 surface-mount packaging that enables 135 W (85–265 VAC) without a heat sink for applications such as appliances. These devices are also available in an eSIP-7 package, and thanks to its vertical orientation, it minimizes the printed-circuit-board (PCB) footprint. It has a thermal impedance equivalent to a TO-220-packaged part. By mounting a metal heat sink, the extended power range is achieved for applications including power tools, e-bikes, and garage openers.
Reference designs include the DER-1079 (60-W, wide-range isolated flyback power supply unit (PSU) for appliances), the DER-1019 (356-W highline [89 V/4 A]) isolated flyback industrial PSU), and the RDR-1018 e-bike charger kit (168-W wide-range isolated flyback design).
pSemi, a Murata company, also claimed groundbreaking power products, targeting high-energy-density applications. At APEC 2026, pSemi unveiled the PE26100 multilevel buck converter for fast-charging mobile devices and the PE25304 advanced integrated charge pump switching-capacitor power module to enable high-efficiency power conversion in humanoid robotic, dexterous-hand power applications.
The PE26100 is an expanded application focus for its high‑performance PE26100 multilevel buck converter, which is now optimized for main, direct battery charging in next‑generation smartphones, tablets, and other compact mobile devices. It delivers a fast‑charging capability, high output current, up to 6 A, and high thermal performance in an ultra‑thin form factor for space‑constrained consumer electronics.
pSemi said the architecture and performance characteristics make it uniquely suited for today’s transition toward high‑power USB Power Delivery (USB‑PD) and programmable power supply (PPS) fast‑charging ecosystems. Supporting 4.5-V to 18.5-V input, the device enables four‑level buck mode for higher USB‑PD voltage inputs and three‑level buck mode for mid‑ to low input voltages. For USB PPS applications, the PE26100 can also operate as a fixed‑ratio, capacitor‑divider charge pump, offering divider ratios of 2:1 and 3:1 depending on programmed input voltage.
The PE25304 is an advanced integrated charge pump switching‑capacitor power module for high efficiency and performance in space‑constrained, high‑power applications. Designed to divide input voltage by four, the PE25304 is purpose‑built for 48-V input architectures, with a wide operating range from 20 V to 60 V, making it suited for dexterous-hand robotics and mechatronic systems. It can also be used in drones, medical devices, embedded AI modules, and industrial automation systems.
The module is housed in an ultra-low-profile package (2 mm) and can deliver up to 72 W of output power. It also features a 97% conversion efficiency, reducing power loss and thermal buildup.
Texas Instruments (TI) unveiled several isolated power modules for applications from data centers to electric vehicles that require improvements in power density, efficiency, and safety. In particular, the UCC34141-Q1 and UCC33420 isolated power modules leverage TI’s IsoShield technology. This is a proprietary multichip packaging solution that delivers up to 3× higher power density than discrete solutions in isolated power designs and shrinks solution size by as much as 70% by packing more power into smaller spaces while reducing area, cost, and weight.
Traditionally, power designers use power modules to save board space and simplify design. Advancements in packaging technology such as the IsoShield enable higher performance and efficiency gains. The IsoShield copackages a high-performance planar transformer and an isolated power stage, offering functional, basic, and reinforced isolation capabilities.
It enables a distributed power architecture, helping manufacturers meet functional safety requirements by avoiding single-point failures, TI said. In addition to shrinking the solution size, it delivers up to 2 W of power for automotive, industrial, and data center applications that require reinforced isolation. For example, the increased power density helps deliver lighter and more efficient EVs that extend range and improve performance.
TI also announced other advancements in data centers, automotive, humanoid robots, sustainable energy, and USB Type-C applications, including an 800-V to 6-V DC/DC power distribution board. Pre-production and production quantities of the isolated power modules, along with evaluation modules, reference designs, and simulation models, are available now on TI.com.
MaxLinear Inc. unveiled its modular intelligent power management solution for next-generation broadband system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The platform includes the MxL7080 power management controller, MxL76500 smart regulating stage (SRS) modules, and high-efficiency MxL76125 22-V/15-A synchronous buck regulator. It delivers a thermally optimized power architecture for high‑bandwidth, multi-service access platforms, including cable, fiber, and fixed wireless access gateways; Ethernet routers; and customer premise equipment.
The platform addresses the need for scalable, multi-rail power management architectures capable of supporting higher power density, tighter voltage tolerances, and improved thermal performance as SoC designs get more complex.
The MxL7080 power management controller, paired with four MxL76500 SRS modules, provides a reference‑based, multiphase power architecture for high‑performance SoCs. This architecture provides improved thermal distribution to reduce localized hotspots, a simplified layout and routing flexibility, and precise multi‑rail sequencing with dynamic voltage scaling support.
The MxL76125 buck regulator, housed in a 4 × 5-mm QFN package, enhances point‑of‑load (PoL) flexibility for complex broadband and access platforms. It offers a wide 5-V to 22-V input voltage range supporting 5-V, 12-V, and 20-V system rails and high efficiency up to 96%, with light‑load PFM mode to reduce idle power. Other features include a fast transient response using COT‑based control with ceramic output capacitors and integrated protection including OCP, OVP, OTP, UVLO, and short‑circuit protection.
The complete (MxL7080 + MxL76500 + MxL76125) power solution is optimized for multi-access gateway platforms. These devices are available now in RoHS-compliant, green/halogen-free, industry-standard packages. Evaluation boards and samples are available at the MxL7080, MxL76500, and MxL76125 product pages.
SiC and GaN power solutions
Microchip Technology Inc. has launched its BZPACK mSiC power modules, offering high flexibility with a range of topologies, which include half-bridge, full-bridge, three-phase, and PIM/CIB configurations. This flexibility allows power designers to optimize performance, cost, and system architecture.
Targeting demanding power-conversion environments, the BZPACK mSiC power modules exceed high voltage-high humidity-high temperature reverse bias (HV‑H3TRB) testing, surpassing the industry standard of 1,000 hours, making them suited for industrial and renewable energy applications. The modules provide a Comparative Tracking Index 600-V case, stable RDS(on) across temperature ranges, and substrate options in aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride.
The BZPACK power modules are also designed to reduce system complexity and enable faster assembly by offering a baseplate-less design with press-fit, solderless terminals and an optional pre-applied thermal interface material.
The power modules leverage Microchip’s advanced mSiC technology and performance of its MB and MC mSiC MOSFET families for industrial and automotive applications, with AEC-Q101-qualified options available. These devices support common gate-source voltages (VGS ≥ 15 V) and are available in industry-standard packages.
The MC family integrates a gate resistor, which offers benefits in improved switching control, low switching energy, and improved stability in multi-die module configurations. Package options include TO-247-4 Notch and die form (waffle pack).
Microchip offers a range of SiC diodes, MOSFETs, and gate drivers. The BZPACK mSiC power modules are available in production quantities.
SemiQ Inc. launched its QSiC Dual3 family of 1,200-V half-bridge MOSFET modules for motor drives in data center cooling systems, grid converters in energy storage systems, and industrial drivers. These are designed to replace IGBT modules with minimal redesign, with all MOSFET die screened using wafer-level gate-oxide burn-in tests exceeding 1,450 V.
Enabling power converters with high conversion efficiency and power density, the series of six devices includes an optional parallel Schottky barrier diode (SBD) to further reduce switching losses in high-temperature environments. Two of the family’s six devices have an RDS(on) of 1 mΩ and a power density of 240 W/in.3 in a 62 × 152-mm package. The modules also feature a low junction-to-case thermal resistance and enable a simplified system design with smaller, lighter heat sinks.
The devices include the GCMX1P0B120S4B1, GCMX1P4B120S4B1, GCMX2P0B120S4B1, GCMS1P0B120S4B1 (SBD), GCMS1P4B120S4B1 (SBD), and GCMS2P0B120S4B1 (SBD). Datasheets for the QSiC Dual3 modules can be downloaded here.
In the GaN space, Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) introduced the EPC91121 motor drive inverter evaluation board, built around its Gen 7 EPC2366 40-V eGaN power transistor. The board is designed for fast prototyping and evaluation, integrating the key functions required for a motor drive inverter, including gate drivers, housekeeping power supplies, voltage and temperature monitoring, and current sensing.
The 40-V EPC2366 Gen 7 eGaN FET offers an ultra-low RDS(on) of 0.84 mΩ, enabling extremely efficient power conversion and fast switching performance. The three-phase inverter solution can deliver up to 70-Apeak (50-ARMS) output current from input voltages ranging between 18 V and 30 V, making it suited for battery-powered systems operating around a 24-V supply.
The platform supports PWM switching frequencies up to 150 kHz, which is significantly higher than typical silicon-based motor drives, according to EPC. This reduces magnetic component size, minimizes switching losses, and improves overall system responsiveness, the company said.
The board, measuring 79 × 80 mm, provides high-bandwidth current sensing on all three phases, supporting measurements up to ±125 A, while phase and DC-bus voltage sensing provide the feedback required for precise monitoring and advanced motor control techniques such as field-oriented control (FOC) and space-vector PWM. Other features include shaft encoder and Hall-sensor interfaces and multiple test points.
Applications include drones, robotics, industrial automation, handheld power tools, and other compact electromechanical systems in which high efficiency and power density are critical.
The EPC91121 reference design board and devices are available now from DigiKey and Mouser. Design support files, including schematic, bill of materials, and Gerber files, are available on the EPC91121 product page.
Renesas Electronics Corp. unveiled its high-voltage TP65B110HRU at APEC 2026, claiming the first bidirectional switch using depletion-mode (d-mode) GaN technology, capable of blocking both positive and negative currents in a single device with integrated DC blocking. Target applications include single-stage solar microinverters, AI data centers, and on-board EV chargers.
The device simplifies power converter designs and replaces conventional back-to-back FET switches with a single low-loss, fast-switching, easy-to-drive device, Renesas said. “By integrating bidirectional blocking functionality on a single GaN product, power conversion can be achieved in a single stage using fewer switching devices.”
This is an alternative to today’s high-power-conversion designs that use unidirectional silicon or SiC switches, which block current in only one direction when in the off state. Many of these single-stage designs use conventional unidirectional switches back to back, Renesas said, resulting in a fourfold increase in switch count and reduced efficiency.
Renesas’s 650-V SuperGaN devices are based on a proprietary, normally off technology. The TP65B110HRU combines a high-voltage bidirectional d-mode GaN chip co-packaged with two low-voltage silicon MOSFETs with high threshold voltage (3 V), high gate margin (±20 V), and built-in body diodes for efficient reverse conduction. It offers high-dV/dt capability of >100 V/ns, with minimum ringing and short delays during on/off transitions.
Comparing the Renesas bidirectional GaN switch with enhancement-mode bidirectional GaN devices, the Renesas switch is compatible with standard gate drivers that require no negative gate bias. The result is a simpler, lower-cost gate-loop design and fast, stable switching in both soft- and hard-switching operations without a performance penalty, the company said.
The TP65B110HRU bidirectional GaN switch, housed in a TOLT top-side-cooled package, is available now, along with the RTDACHB0000RS-MS-1 evaluation kit. Also available are two reference solutions (500-W Solar Microinverter and Three-Phase Vienna Rectifier System) that leverage the TP65B110HRU and other Renesas-compatible devices.
Renesas also announced a GaN charging solution for industrial and IoT electronics applications. The GaN-based Half-Wave LLC (HWLLC) platform supports 500-W or higher operation across IoT, industrial, and infrastructure systems. The HWLLC converter topology scales a compact power architecture from 100-W-class designs to 500 W, targeting high-speed chargers for power tools, e-bikes, and other appliances.
The topology addresses the size, heat, and efficiency penalties of legacy topologies. It also helps designers move beyond 100-W USB-C charging devices and adopt 240-W USB EPR charging to shrink proprietary brick chargers in smartphones, laptops, and many gaming systems, Renesas said. The fast-charging technology was recently incorporated into Belkin’s GaN-based Z-Charger that features Renesas’s zero-standby-power (ZSP) chip with advanced SuperGaN d-mode GaN technology.
Building on its proprietary ZSP technology, the solution encompasses four new controller ICs, including the RRW11011 interleaved power-factor correction (PFC) and HWLLC combo controller, the RRW30120 USB-PD protocol and closed-loop controller, the RRW40120 half-bridge GaN gate driver, and the RRW43110 intelligent synchronous rectifier controller.
The RRW11011 PFC with phase-shift control cancels ripple, reduces component size and cost, and balances current. It also allows designers to lower operating temperature while delivering the wide output range (5 V to 48 V) required by USB Extended Power Range (EPR) and other variable-load charging systems. The RRW30120 USB-PD protocol and closed-loop controller achieve a maximum USB power delivery of 240 W. Together in a 240-W USB EPR power adapter design, the solution claims the highest power density in the industry (3 W/cc) and 96.5% peak efficiency.
The four devices enabling the HWLLC solution are available in addition to the EBC10293 240-W USB-PD EPR evaluation board. Reference solutions include the 240-W AC/DC Adapter and 300-W Lighting Power Platform.
AI data centers
Infineon Technologies AG released several power solutions aimed at AI data centers, including voltage regulation devices, digital power controller ICs, and CoolGaN-based high-voltage intermediate bus converter (IBC) reference designs.
Infineon expanded its voltage regulation portfolio with the XDPE1E digital multiphase PWM buck controllers and TDA49720/12/06 PMBus PoL voltage regulators to deliver higher compute performance per rack in AI data centers as next-generation platforms drive new requirements for power architectures.
The XDPE1E3G6A and XDPE1E496A, digital three- and four-loop multiphase PWM buck controllers, respectively, target multi-processor AI platforms and advanced VR inductor topologies. They offer highly configurable phase allocation and fully programmable phase firing order and support multiple protocols, including PMBus, AVSBus, SVID, and SVI3. Digital features, including active transient response, fast DVID, automatic phase shedding, and PFM, help address dynamic AI loads. Infineon also offers built-in tools such as Digital Scope, Black Box recording, and protection features.
To address the increasing number of non-core rails in AI systems, which require efficient regulation with accurate monitoring and control, Infineon developed the TDA49720/12/06 family of fully integrated PoL DC/DC buck regulators with PMBus-compliant digital telemetry. This family, with 6-A, 12-A, and 20-A options in 3 × 3-mm and 3 × 3.5-mm packages, helps maximize power density and simplify layout on accelerator cards and server boards.
The PMBus telemetry enables accurate reporting of key parameters, including output voltage, load current, input voltage, and die temperature. The devices also feature a proprietary valley-current-mode constant-on-time control scheme that enables fast transient response, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, and support for all-MLCC output capacitance designs. The devices operate from 2.7-V to 16-V input and across a wide junction temperature range of −40°C to 150°C.
Infineon also expanded its XDP digital power controller IC family with the XDPP1188-200C, targeting higher power levels in AI servers. The device supports intermediate bus conversions from 48 V to 12 V or lower, as well as future higher-voltage DC systems, including the conversion of ±400-V or 800-VDC bus voltage to 48 V, 24 V, or 12 V.
The XDPP1188-200C complements Infineon’s CoolGaN-based high-voltage IBC reference designs (also introduced at APEC) and supports custom high-/medium-voltage IBC designs up to 800 VDC in AI data centers. The XDPP1188-200C allows optimization for customer-specific requirements. In 48-V systems, the controller works seamlessly with medium-voltage IBC modules, delivering an optimized power supply chain from the intermediate bus to processor voltage regulation.
Key features include an advanced feed-forward control mechanism to improve response time and stability under dynamic input transient conditions, and a nonlinear fast transient response to handle the rapid power demand fluctuations in AI servers. The device also integrates advanced power management techniques at light-load conditions and supports bidirectional configuration, enabling flexible power management.
The XDPP1188-200C digital power controller is sampling now. Volume production is expected in the first quarter of 2026.
Infineon also introduced two high-voltage IBC reference designs to help customers make the shift to AI server power architectures powered by ±400 VDC and 800 VDC.
Leveraging Infineon’s 650-V CoolGaN switches, the reference designs address two architectures: The 800-VDC to 50-V design is an intermediate stage for downstream 48-V IBC modules, while the 800-VDC to 12-V design enables direct conversion for compact server boards. The XDPP1188-200C digital controller is available for custom implementations, as noted earlier, with output voltages of 48 V, 24 V, or 12 V.
The 800-VDC or ±400-V to 50-V high-voltage IBC reference design demonstrates more than 98% efficiency at full load. Leveraging Infineon’s high- and medium-voltage CoolGaN switches, EiceDRIVER gate drivers, and a PSOC microcontroller (MCU), it consists of two 3-kW 400-V to 50-V converter building blocks, which are configured in an input-series-output-parallel (ISOP) arrangement. It scales to 6-kW TDP and supports up to 10.8 kW for 400 µs, using a planar PCB integrated transformer with multiple synchronous rectifier stages and soft switching across all load conditions to reduce electromagnetic interference. It claims an exceptional 2.5-kW/in.3 power density in a 60 × 60 × 11-mm form factor.
The second reference design is an ultra-thin, high-voltage IBC demo board with an 8-mm height, which converts an 800-VDC bus voltage directly to a 12-V intermediate rail. The design delivers 6-kW TDP and supports up to 10.8 kW for 400 µs. It features a power density above 2,300 W/ in.3, up to 98.2% peak efficiency, and 97.1% efficiency at full load. It operates as an ISOP half-bridge LLC converter, leveraging Infineon’s 650-V CoolGaN and 40-V OptiMOS 7 switches, with EiceDRIVER gate drivers and a PSOC MCU.
A host of other semiconductor solution providers highlighted their latest and greatest at APEC 2026. Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc., for example, showcased several new products and technologies, ranging from its UMOS 11 MOSFETs and top-side-cooled TOGT package to SiC modules and MCU and motor control solutions.
On display were Toshiba’s expanded family of UMOS 11 MOSFETs in industry-standard packages. These devices feature improved switching characteristics and reduced RDS(on) per area compared with the previous UMOS 10 generation. The company also highlighted its WBG semiconductor portfolio, including high-power SiC power modules for grid-level and industrial systems; 750-V and 1,200-V SiC die and modules for automotive drivetrain inverter applications; and GaN devices.
Toshiba also featured its top-side-cooled TOGT packaging that targets high-power-density applications. It enables heat dissipation through the top of the package to reduce thermal stress on the PCB.
Other solutions presented at the show include MCU and motor control solutions (MCU, MCD, and SmartMCD devices) for automotive body electronics, electronic control units (ECUs), and industrial control applications. System reference designs highlighted include high-efficiency power supply platforms such as 3-kW server PSUs for data center applications, automotive ECU power architectures, and motor control reference designs for pump and power tool systems.
