Microchip and Navitas Unveil 800V-to-6V GaN Power Design for AI Data Center Racks

A new 800V DC-to-6V DC reference design from Microchip Technology and Navitas Semiconductor replaces what would traditionally require two separate conversion stages, 800V DC to 50V DC followed by 50V DC to 6V DC, with a single converter.

The companies, announcing the collaboration on October 5, 2026 from Chandler, Arizona and Torrance, California, say the direct conversion approach delivers higher end-to-end efficiency for AI data center rack power systems.

Advanced Power Delivery System Utilizing GaN Technology

The power delivery board at the center of the design uses 16 of Navitas' NV6034 GaNFast FETs, rated at 650 V and 17 milliohms, arranged in a stacked half-bridge topology on the primary side. The devices are housed in a DFN8x8 dual-side-cooled package that the company says lowers thermal resistance, supporting higher continuous power operation without sacrificing efficiency.

At full load with a 1 MHz switching frequency, the board targets peak efficiency of up to 96% and achieves a power density of 2,100 watts per cubic inch. Its ultra-low profile, roughly 20% thinner than a mobile phone, is intended to allow close integration with the GPU board, which the companies state maximizes transient performance and improves power distribution efficiency.

Security and Control: Silicon Anchors the Platform

Microchip contributes its dsPIC33AK Digital Signal Controllers and TA100 CryptoAuthentication security IC to the platform. The dsPIC33AK delivers deterministic digital power control for high-frequency, high-efficiency DC/DC conversion, while the TA100 provides a hardware root of trust enabling authentication, secure boot, and protected firmware updates.

The dsPIC33AK256MPS306 family features a 200 MHz 32-bit core with a double-precision floating-point unit, 78-pico-second high-resolution Pulse Width Modulators, and multiple 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters running at up to 40 MSPS.

The controllers include library support for the Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA) Suite 2.0, recommended post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, and hardware-accelerated cryptographic functions for connected real-time control designs.

The TA100 handles code authentication, including secure boot, Message Authentication Code (MAC) generation, trusted firmware updates, and multiple key management protocols, including Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Microchip positions the IC as letting developers establish a trusted foundation for system authentication and protection without building such capabilities themselves.

Design Aligns with OCP 800V DC Standard

The reference platform, which combines Microchip's digital power control and security technologies with Navitas' GaNFast gallium nitride power devices, conforms to the Open Compute Project (OCP) 800V DC standard.

The companies say the industry's movement toward higher-voltage rack power is driven by the need to improve distribution efficiency, increase power density and support next-generation server designs as AI data centers scale to power high-performance GPU clusters.

The solution ships with reference hardware, software, and design documentation, which the companies state helps reduce design risk, shorten development cycles and speed deployment of next-generation AI infrastructure.

Executives Frame the Transition

Joe Thomsen, corporate vice president of Microchip's digital signal controller business unit, described AI infrastructure optimization as driving one of the most significant power architecture transitions the data center industry has experienced in decades.

He said that as the ecosystem moves toward higher-voltage rack power systems, developers need proven control and security to help reduce implementation risk.

Vipin Bothra, vice president of Global Solution Marketing at Navitas, said the company's GaNFast technology serves as a critical enabler of higher power density, greater efficiency, and improved system performance as AI infrastructure scales to support increasingly demanding computing platforms.

Combining Navitas' power semiconductor leadership with Microchip's digital control expertise, he added, accelerates delivery of advanced power solutions tailored to next-generation AI data center requirements.

Where to See It and How to Get It

The design will be demonstrated at the 2026 OCP Global Summit, held October 12–15, 2026, in San Jose, California, where attendees can see digital control, hardware-based security, and GaN power conversion combined in an 800V-to-6V DC/DC power architecture.

The platform is available now with a reference board, software, and documentation, giving developers resources to evaluate and speed deployment of 800V DC power conversion systems for AI data center applications.

The companies position the design as a foundation for building high-voltage, high-power, compact rack power systems during the industry's transition to the OCP 800V DC standard.

Navitas describes its system-level approach as translating GaN technology advances into measurable gains in efficiency, power density, transient performance, and total cost of ownership.