Navitas Acquires VDD Tech
Proprietary isolation technology enables smaller, faster, lighter power conversion for consumer, motor drive, solar, data centre, and EV markets
GaN company Navitas Semiconductor has announced the acquisition of VDD Tech, creator of advanced digital-isolators for next-generation power conversion.
Advanced digital-isolation techniques are essential to deliver size, weight, and system-cost improvements in high-power markets such as consumer, motor drive, solar, data centre, and EV. VDD Tech’s proprietary modulation-technique enables stable, reliable, efficient power conversion at MHz+ switching speeds.
Proprietary dV/dt sensing, blanking, and refresh technologies enable an unprecedented combination of very-high-voltage-isolation capability with the highest frequency of operation requiring five to ten times higher dV/dt immunity than legacy silicon. Low isolation-capacitance (<0.5pF) and innovative, robust modulation deliver low-jitter digital-communication for isolated-driver control and analog-sensing feedback. A minimum 200 V/ns Common-Mode Transient Immunity (CMTI) is uniquely guaranteed across all temperature and operating conditions.
VDD Tech was founded in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, by Vincent Dessard, quickly joined by Aimad Saib, each of them holding a doctorate and 15+ years’ experience in analogue/ mixed-mode IC research and development. Dessard and Saib have taken leading roles in Navitas’ advanced R&D teams.
“It’s exciting to see two breakthrough technologies – optimised digital-isolators and GaN power ICs – combine to deliver such leading-edge, high-power solutions,” said Dessard, adding “High-speed and high-reliability are the critical factors to accelerate wide-band-gap-semiconductor adoption over legacy silicon-chips, and we’re very excited to be a catalyst in this once-in-a-generation revolution, with new, high-power products launching in 2023.”
“VDD Tech’s isolation technology is a key part of our growing power-and-control integration strategy, creating an additional $1B/yr market opportunity,” said Gene Sheridan, Navitas CEO and co-founder. “We continue to research and review new technologies that we could add to Navitas’ core strengths, and deliver significant CO2 emission-reduction benefits as we continue our mission to 'Electrify Our World.'
