onsemi introduces vertical GaN semiconductors for AI and electric vehicles.

onsemi introduced vertical gallium nitride (vGaN) power semiconductors on October 30, 2025, in response to increasing global energy demands from Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers and electric vehicles. This technology sets a benchmark for power density, efficiency, and ruggedness.

Manufactured at onsemi's facility in Syracuse, New York, the vGaN devices utilize a GaN-on-GaN architecture that permits vertical current flow. This design enables higher operating voltages and faster switching frequencies, which can result in a potential reduction of energy losses by nearly 50%.

The vGaN technology is particularly significant for applications in AI data centers, electric vehicles, renewable energy, aerospace, and defense sectors. With adaptations for both 700V and 1,200V systems, onsemi is sampling these devices to early access customers.

Dinesh Ramanathan, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy at onsemi, noted that this development strengthens the company's position in energy efficiency. Demand for electricity continues to escalate, particularly in sectors like electrification and AI, and each watt conserved matters.

onsemi's vGaN technology is designed to function efficiently under high voltage conditions, reducing the size of passive components while enhancing power density. Compared to traditional GaN devices, the vGaN components are approximately three times smaller, which is beneficial for high-power applications.

Key markets include AI data centers, Electric Vehicle (EV) power systems, renewable energy inverters, and various industrial automation solutions. This technology is expected to meet the growing need for high-performance and compact designs in an energy-constrained environment.