TOKYO, Japan and SAN ANTONIO, TX, Mar 25, 2026 – Renesas Electronics has introduced a bidirectional switch based on depletion-mode (d-mode) GaN technology, designed to block both positive and negative currents in a single device with DC blocking. The high-voltage TP65B110HRU targets applications including solar microinverters, AI data centers, and onboard electric vehicle chargers. The device replaces conventional back-to-back FET switches with a single component, reducing component count and simplifying power converter design.
Single-Stage Topology Boosts Efficiency, Reduces Components
High-power conversion designs use unidirectional silicon or silicon carbide switches that block current in one direction in the off state. This requires multi-stage power conversion with multiple switched bridge circuits. For example, a solar microinverter often uses a four-switch full bridge for DC-to-DC conversion, followed by a second stage to generate AC output. In single-stage designs, engineers often use back-to-back unidirectional switches, which increases switch count and can reduce efficiency.
Bidirectional GaN integrates blocking capability for both current directions in a single device, allowing power conversion in a single stage with fewer switching components. In a solar microinverter design, this approach can reduce the number of high-voltage switching devices and remove intermediate DC-link capacitors. GaN devices also support higher switching frequencies due to low stored charge. In a single-stage microinverter implementation, the GaN-based architecture demonstrated efficiency above 97.5% while reducing reliance on back-to-back silicon switches.
Combining Robust Performance and Reliability with Silicon-Compatible Drivers
The TP65B110HRU integrates a bidirectional depletion-mode GaN chip with two silicon MOSFETs for high-voltage switching. The device operates with a 3V threshold and a ±20V gate margin and includes body diodes for reverse conduction. It supports standard gate drivers without requiring negative gate bias, simplifying gate drive design compared with enhancement-mode GaN devices. The device supports both soft and hard switching applications, including Vienna rectifier topologies, with dv/dt exceeding 100V/ns. The design enables bidirectional switching using a single GaN-based component.
“Extending our SuperGaN technology to the bidirectional GaN platform marks a major shift in power conversion design norms,” said Rohan Samsi, vice president, GaN business division at Renesas. “Customers can now achieve higher efficiency with fewer switching components, smaller PCB area and lower system cost. At the same time, they can accelerate design by leveraging Renesas’ system-level integration with gate drivers, controllers and power management ICs.”
Key features of the TP65B110HRU:
- ±650V continuous peak AC and DC rating, ±800V transient rating
- 2kV Human Body Model ESD protection rating (HBM and CDM)
- 110 mΩ typical RSS,ON @ 25⁰C
- 3V typical Vgs(th)
- No negative drive required
- ±20V maximum Vgs
- >100 V/ns dv/dt immunity
- 1.8V, VSS,FW freewheeling diode voltage-drop
- TOLT top-side cooled package with industry standard pin-out
Availability
The TP65B110HRU bi-directional GaN switch is available now. Customers can also purchase the RTDACHB0000RS-MS-1 evaluation kit to test drive configurations, detect AC zero crossings, and support ZVS soft switching.
Winning Combinations
Renesas provides 500W Solar Microinverter and Three-Phase Vienna Rectifier System that integrate the bidirectional GaN switch with compatible devices from its portfolio. The company refers to these as Winning Combinations, which are pre-validated system architectures using compatible devices. More than 400 such combinations are available, supporting system integration and reducing design complexity across applications.
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Renesas ships more than four billion power electronics components annually, including power management ICs, discrete devices, and GaN products. The portfolio is used in automotive, IoT, infrastructure, and industrial applications. Renesas integrates its power devices with MCU, MPU, SoC, and analog platforms for system-level design. It also provides pre-validated system configurations and design tools such as PowerCompass and PowerNavigator for engineering development.
Source: Renesas Electronics
About Renesas Electronics
Renesas Electronics is a semiconductor manufacturer that develops and supplies microcontrollers, analog devices, power semiconductors, system-on-chip products, and connectivity components used in embedded systems. The company provides semiconductor devices and related software for automotive systems, industrial equipment, infrastructure, consumer electronics, and IoT applications. Renesas serves automotive suppliers, electronics manufacturers, device makers, and industrial system developers worldwide. The company designs, manufactures, and markets semiconductor components used in control systems, sensing, power management, and communications. Renesas Electronics was formed in 2010 through the merger of Renesas Technology and NEC Electronics, building on semiconductor businesses of Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas operates design centers, manufacturing facilities, and sales offices across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Renesas Electronics employs about 23,000 people worldwide.