​Microchip, Navitas Unveil 800V Power Reference Design for AI Servers

Microchip Technology and Navitas Semiconductor have unveiled a power-conversion reference design for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The design converts 800V direct current supplied to a server rack directly to 6V inside the server.

​Microchip Technology and Navitas Semiconductor announced Oct. 6 that they introduced the power-conversion reference design, which combines two stages into one to reduce conversion losses compared to conventional two-stage conversion designs that step 800V down to 50V and then convert it again to 6V. The 6V output is ultimately converted to less than 1V by a voltage regulator module (VRM) on the graphics processing unit (GPU) board.

​The board uses 16 gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors from Navitas. GaN can switch electricity on and off faster than silicon while generating less loss in the process, allowing power-conversion components to be made smaller while maintaining efficiency. The board is about 20% thinner than a smartphone, allowing it to be positioned close to the GPU board.

​Microchip supplies the digital signal controller (DSC) dsPIC33AK, which controls power conversion, and the TA100 security chip. The TA100 handles functions including secure boot and firmware authentication.

​Navitas unveiled the board's basic power architecture at Nvidia's GTC 2026 developer conference in March. This time, the companies combined Microchip's controller and security chip to offer a joint reference design. A reference design is a baseline design provided for server and power-equipment companies to use in product development. The two companies are providing the board, software, and design documentation together.

​AI data centers are seeing a sharp increase in power consumption per rack as large numbers of GPUs are deployed. Nvidia is building an ecosystem around designs that deliver 800V direct current all the way to the rack, an approach that can reduce power losses and the scale of wiring required.

​Nvidia expects the approach to gain wider adoption starting with shipments of its next-generation rack system, "Kyber," in 2027.