June 18, 2025 /SemiMedia/ — Infineon Technologies has launched what it claims is the industry’s first gallium nitride (GaN) power FET with an integrated Schottky diode, aiming to improve efficiency in hard-switching power applications. The device is part of Infineon’s CoolGaN G5 family, designed to reduce dead-time losses and simplify power stage design in industrial systems.

GaN is gaining traction as a next-generation material for power electronics due to its high electron mobility and low gate charge, offering significant advantages over traditional silicon-based MOSFETs. By minimizing switching losses and enabling operation at frequencies above 1 MHz, GaN devices allow for more compact and efficient power supplies.

The integrated Schottky diode eliminates the need for an external component, reducing BOM costs and footprint while enhancing switching performance. According to Antoine Jalabert, VP of medium-voltage GaN products at Infineon, the innovation marks a major step forward in pushing energy efficiency for demanding applications like data centers, EV onboard chargers, and high-density converters.

Unlike silicon MOSFETs, GaN power FETs do not have internal body diodes, avoiding reverse-recovery losses and enabling cleaner, faster transitions—especially beneficial in topologies such as totem-pole PFC operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM).

Furthermore, the device’s low output charge (QOSS) improves zero-voltage switching (ZVS) performance, a key requirement in soft-switching converters.

Together, these attributes position the new CoolGaN device as a compelling choice for engineers designing high-efficiency, high-frequency power systems.