Weekly Electronics Tech Roundup 1 Nov 2026

The final week of October brought several important developments in power electronics and semiconductor technology. The increasing power requirements of AI data centers remain a major driver of innovation, with manufacturers introducing new high-voltage distribution boards, more efficient server power supplies and advanced switching devices.

At the same time, silicon carbide (SiC) continues to advance in high-voltage power conversion, while gallium nitride (GaN) is expanding into bidirectional switching, high-frequency motor drives and compact power converters. New programmable DC-DC supplies, low-power microcontrollers and high-voltage contactors also offer practical opportunities for engineers developing industrial, automotive and energy systems.

This roundup covers the most relevant announcements from 26 October through 1 November 2026.

Infineon Introduces a 12 kW High-Voltage Power Distribution Board for 800 V AI Data Centers

Announcement date: 27 October 2026

Infineon Technologies introduced a high-voltage power distribution board (HV PDB) designed to help engineers evaluate next-generation 800 V DC power architectures for AI data centers.

As server racks become more powerful, conventional lower-voltage distribution can require very high currents. Higher-voltage DC distribution can reduce current for a given power level, but it requires appropriate protection, conversion, monitoring and control.

Infineon's reference board integrates these functions into a single platform, allowing developers to evaluate a complete power chain rather than designing every stage independently.

Key specifications

Parameter	Details
Maximum output power	12 kW
Board dimensions	480 × 125 mm
Supported distribution architectures	800 V DC and ±400 V DC
High-voltage intermediate-bus conversion	Two 6 kW modules
Intermediate-bus output	50 V
Regulated DC-DC conversion	Two 2.5 kW modules
Final regulated output	12 V
Peak efficiency of GaN-based HV IBC modules	Up to 98.5%
Hot-swap module capacity	Up to 32 kW
Monitoring and communication	PMBus and board-level telemetry
Controller	Infineon PSOC microcontroller

The board integrates input fuses, hot-swap circuitry, electromagnetic-interference filtering, high-voltage intermediate-bus converters and regulated DC-DC modules. It also includes a microcontroller-based board manager for telemetry and energy management.

Infineon and Enphase Announce 900 V GaN Bidirectional Switches for Solid-State Transformers

Announcement date: 26 October 2026

Infineon and Enphase Energy announced the deployment of 900 V monolithic gallium nitride (GaN) bidirectional switches in Enphase's solid-state transformer (SST) power modules for AI data center infrastructure.

The development extends GaN switching technology into a higher voltage class, targeting systems where high-frequency operation, power density and efficient energy conversion are important.

What is a bidirectional switch?

A bidirectional switch can block voltage of either polarity and conduct current in both directions, subject to its specified operating conditions.

In conventional implementations, bidirectional switching may require multiple semiconductor devices connected in an appropriate arrangement. A monolithic bidirectional switch integrates the bidirectional switching function into a single GaN device.

This integration can simplify the power stage and reduce component count, although the complete converter still needs suitable gate control, protection and thermal management.

Infineon Introduces a 5.6 kW M-CRPS Reference Design for Enterprise AI Servers

Announcement date: 27 October 2026

Infineon introduced a 5.6 kW modular common redundant power supply (M-CRPS) reference design for enterprise servers, edge AI systems and high-density computing infrastructure.

The design targets compact server power supplies that must deliver high efficiency while fitting into a constrained enclosure with demanding airflow and thermal requirements.

Key specifications

Parameter	Announced details
Rated output power	5.6 kW
Form factor	M-CRPS, 185 mm
Peak efficiency	Above 98%
Power density	170 W/in³
AC input range	180–305 V AC
DC input option	240 V DC
Nominal output	54 V DC
PFC topology	Three-level flying-capacitor totem-pole PFC
DC-DC topology	Half-bridge LLC with synchronous rectification
LLC resonant frequency	Approximately 350 kHz
Integrated energy-buffer hold-up time	12 ms at full power
Digital controller	PSOC Control C3 Performance Line

The PFC stage uses CoolSiC and CoolMOS devices, while the LLC stage uses CoolGaN devices. Infineon reports a peak PFC efficiency target above 99% and overall PSU peak efficiency above 98%.

The reference design also integrates resonant and magnetizing inductance into the transformer structure to reduce the need for separate magnetic components.

EPC Introduces Two 100 V GaN Three-Phase Motor-Drive Evaluation Boards

Announcement date: 27 October 2026

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) introduced the EPC91124 and EPC91125 three-phase inverter evaluation boards for brushless DC (BLDC) motor drives.

The boards target robotics, drones, servo drives, industrial automation and precision motion-control applications where compact size, high efficiency and rapid dynamic response are important.

Key specifications

Parameter	EPC91124	EPC91125
Power transistor	EPC2361	EPC2367
Transistor voltage rating	100 V	100 V
Typical on-resistance	0.75 mΩ	1.2 mΩ
Continuous phase current	35 A RMS	30 A RMS
Peak phase current	45 A RMS	40 A RMS
Input operating range	18–80 V	18–80 V
Typical PWM frequency capability	Up to 100 kHz	Up to 100 kHz
Maximum stated PWM frequency	150 kHz	150 kHz
Board dimensions	79 × 80 mm	79 × 80 mm

Both boards include gate drivers, three-phase current sensing, phase and DC-bus voltage monitoring, temperature monitoring, housekeeping power supplies and encoder/Hall sensor interfaces.

They support a range of control platforms, including Microchip dsPIC, Texas Instruments C2000, STMicroelectronics STM32 and Renesas RA devices.

Renesas Launches the RL78/G21 Ultra-Low-Power Microcontroller

Announcement date: 28 October 2026

Renesas Electronics expanded its RL78 family with the RL78/G21, a 16-bit microcontroller designed for low-power system control in smart appliances and consumer electronics.

The new MCU targets products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and microwave ovens, where cost, standby power, reliability and peripheral integration are important.

Key features

• Operating current of approximately 34 µA/MHz.
• 128 KB or 256 KB code-flash options, depending on device variant.
• Integrated 4 KB data flash.
• On-chip high-speed oscillator with stated accuracy of ±1.0%.
• Operating-voltage range of 1.6–5.5 V.
• Human-body-model ESD tolerance of ±4 kV.
• UARTA serial interface.
• Self-diagnostic support through an IEC 60730-compliant self-test library.
• Security features including flash read protection and unique device identification.

Renesas states that the RL78/G21 achieves approximately half the operating current of the referenced RL78/G13 products at the same clock frequency.

The company also expanded the RL78/G23 lineup with additional capacitive-touch channels for more advanced user interfaces.

TDK-Lambda Introduces Programmable EDC DC-DC Power Supplies for DC Grids

Announcement date: 29 October 2026

TDK-Lambda introduced its EDC series of programmable DC-DC power supplies to support emerging DC-grid architectures, renewable energy systems and battery-based infrastructure.

The series includes 1.5 kW and 3 kW models with programmable constant-voltage (CV) and constant-current (CC) operation.

Many renewable energy sources and battery systems naturally operate on DC. Converting DC to AC and then back to DC can introduce additional conversion stages and losses. A programmable DC-DC supply can simplify some systems by enabling direct DC-to-DC connections.

Key features

• 1.5 kW and 3 kW models.
• Programmable constant-voltage and constant-current modes.
• Series connection of up to three units.
• Parallel connection of up to ten units.
• Leader/follower operation for coordinated multi-unit systems.
• RS-485 communication with Modbus RTU.
• Analog control using 1–5 V and 4–20 mA interfaces.
• Remote monitoring of operating hours, status, alarms and fault history.
• Compact enclosure measuring 270 × 150 × 61 mm.

The series is intended for applications such as hydrogen generators, high-power battery chargers, DC distribution equipment and solid-oxide fuel-cell systems.