Gallium nitride continues to penetrate most of our devices. Now, this highly efficient tech has found a new home — inside your appliances. Navitas Semiconductor has introduced its latest GaNSense™ Motor Drive ICs, a new family of fully integrated GaN-based solutions targeting home and industrial motor drives up to 600 W. These ICs combine everything — power switches, drive, control, current sensing, and protection — into a single compact package.
The result? Less bulk, less heat, and a whole lot more efficiency. Compared to conventional silicon IGBT-based designs, the GaNSense Motor Drive ICs deliver 4% higher efficiency, a 40% reduction in PCB footprint, and 15% lower system cost. All without sacrificing performance or robustness. Thus, it’s safe to say that legacy silicon is significantly outpaced.
And the magic trick? Lossless, bidirectional current sensing. It tracks both forward and reverse current, which is essential in motor drives where coil phases constantly shift. That means no external shunt resistors, less complexity, and better thermal performance.
Slew rates are fully adjustable, giving engineers flexibility to optimize EMI and overall efficiency. Reverse current? No problem. The IC’s autonomous freewheeling kicks in instantly, cutting conduction losses and minimizing the need for large, expensive heatsinks.
Of course, it’s also protected. Built-in features include short-circuit detection on both high and low sides, over-temperature protection, and robust 2kV ESD protection on all pins.
The first wave of the 650V family includes:
- NV6257 (2 x 170 mΩ, PQFN 6×8)
- NV6287 (2 x 170 mΩ, PQFN 8×10)
- NV6288 (2 x 120 mΩ, PQFN 8×10)
Target uses for Navitas’ new motor drive ICs? All around you. From air conditioners to refrigerators, washing machines to fans, and even hair dryers. In industry, think small pumps, circulators, and ventilation systems — wherever compact, high-efficiency motor control is needed.
