AI-ENABLED COMPUTING DRIVES FAST ACTION TO URGENT EVENTS Powered by high-density, rad-tolerant power modules ISSUE 1 – Feb/March 2026 www.power-mag.com Also inside this issue News | Market News | SiC Power Electronics Initiative Silicon Single-photon Detector The future of Autonomous Vehicles | APEC High-Current Switching | Advancing Power Efficiency Web Locator
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CONTENTS www.power-mag.com Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe 3 News & Features Editor Leslah Garland Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Email: leslah.garland@dfamedia.co.uk Publisher Damien Oxlee Tel: +44 (0)1732 370342 Email: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk www.power-mag.com Production Editor Chris Davis Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Email: chris@dfamedia.co.uk Financial Manager Joanne Morgan Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Email: accounts@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception Tel: +44 (0) 1825 701520 Email: cs@perception-sas.com INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICES Mainland Europe: Victoria Hufmann Norbert Hufmann Tel: +49 911 9397 643 Fax: +49 911 9397 6459 Email: pee@hufmann.info Eastern US Damien Oxlee Tel: +44 (0)1732 370342 Email: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Western US and Canada Damien Oxlee Tel: +44 (0)1732 370342 Email: damien.oxlee@dfamedia.co.uk Japan: Yoshinori Ikeda, Pacific Business Inc Tel: 81-(0)3-3661-6138 Fax: 81-(0)3-3661-6139 Email: pbi2010@gol.com Taiwan Prisco Ind. Service Corp. Tel: 886 2 2322 5266 Fax: 886 2 2322 2205 Circulation and subscription: Power Electronics Europe is available for the following subscription charges. Power Electronics Europe: annual charge UK/NI £95, overseas $160, EUR 150. Contact: DFA Manufacturing Media, 192 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE Great Britain. Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340. Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will only be provided at the Publisher’s discretion, unless specifically guaranteed within the terms of subscription offer. Editorial information should be sent to The Editor, Power Electronics Europe, 192 High Street, Tonbridge TN9 1BE U.K. The contents of Power Electronics Europe are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. Printed by: Warners. ISSN 1748-3530 PAGE 4 News PEE looks at the latest News and company developments PAGE 7 Market News PAGE 14 FastLane By Dirk Brauer, Research & Innovation Director at Valeo eAutomotive Germany GmbH; Dr. Sebastian Fritzsche, Manager Technology Scouting at Heraeus Electronics GmbH & Co. KG PAGE 18 IEEE Study Proposes a Novel HighEfficiency Silicon Single-Photon Detector Researchers develop a new detector with over 84% photon detection efficiency and multiple operation modes PAGE 20 Why scalable high-performance SoCs are the future of autonomous vehicles By Alec Schott, Texas Instruments PAGE 22 APEC APEC 2026 will take place from March 22 to March 26, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, at the Henry B. González Convention Centre PAGE 24 Shrinking the Footprint of High-Current Switching By Takato Nabeshima, Product Marketing Manager - Relays, OMRON Electronic Components Europe PAGE 26 Advancing Power Efficiency with SiC Merged-PiN Schottky (MPS) Diode Perry Schugart, CMO & Head of Business Development, RIR Power PAGE 29 Web Locator Harnessing AI in space to enable faster communication and a new era of innovation Rad-tolerant DC-DC converter modules power AI1 Transponder for in-orbit computation By Salah Ben Doua, Sr. Principal Field Application Engineer EMEA Aerospace and Defense & Satellite Solutions, Vicor More details on page 10. FEATURE STORY Subscribe for your FREE copy now
4 IEDM Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com The IEEE IEDM is the flagship conference for breakthrough technologies in electronic devices. It attracts leading researchers, technologists, and industry experts from around the world to present the latest developments in device physics, process technology, and applications. The event focused on “100 Years of FETs” and the shift from individual device optimisation to full circuit-level integration to address “Moore’s Wall”. it is 100 years since Julius Edgar Lilienfeld filed a patent for a FET. Such devices remain central to modern electronics and inevitably to the work reported at IEDM 2025. Key highlights Beginning with transistors made from two-dimensional (2D) materials, Quentin Smets and colleagues at Imec, KU Leuven and Intel reported approaches to integrate 2D FETs into back-end-of-line processes. The researchers introduced three distinct device integration schemes: damascene-type top contacts; replacement oxide technology; and interlayer removal. Elsewhere - advances with oxide-semiconductor channel transistors - where Mutsumi Okajima and colleagues at Kioxia Corporation reported a 3D dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) architecture using such transistors. Using polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (TFTs), Sanghun Jeon and colleagues at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) reported the development of a neuromorphic silicon retina that can perceive and process light as spikes. The approach involves the integration of the polycrystalline silicon TFTs, which function as spike generators, and amorphous silicon photodiodes. Work from Jiandong Ye, Guoquan Lu, Yuhao Zhang and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong, Virginia Tech, the City University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University concentrated on the development of an ultrawide-bandgap (UWBG) power module that is capable of 1,000 V and 200 A switching. Other highlights included breakthroughs in Complementary FET (CFET) technology by TSMC and imec, advancements in 3D DRAM and AI acceleration, new heterogeneous integration techniques like Intel’s “DrGaN,” and progress in beyond-silicon materials such as 2D materials and silicon photonics. Technical challenges addressed included thermal management in 3D architectures and reassessing reliability standards for oxide semiconductors. Save the Date for 2026 - December 12-16, 2026 - Hilton Union Square San Francisco https://www.ieee-iedm.org/ The 71st IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM 2025) took place on 6-10 December 2025 in San Francisco IEDM REPORT 2025
NEWS 5 Power Electronics Europe Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe Navitas Unveils Breakthrough 10 kW DC-DC Platform Delivering 98.5% Efficiency for 800 VDC Next-Gen AI Data Centres Navitas Semiconductor, a leader in GaNFast gallium nitride (GaN) and GeneSiC silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors, has announced it has unveiled a breakthrough 10 kW DC-DC power platform delivering up to 98.5% peak efficiency and 1 MHz switching frequency, enabling unprecedented power density to support the rapid, large-scale expansion of next-generation AI data centres. The company says the all-GaN 10 kW 800 V–to–50 V DC-DC platform employs advanced 650 V and 100 V GaNFast FETs in a three-level half-bridge architecture with synchronous rectification to deliver 98.5% peak efficiency and 98.1% full load efficiency in a full-brick (61 ? 116 ? 11 mm) package, achieving 2.1 kW/in? power density. The resulting production-oriented platform supports 800 V–to–50 V and + / - 400 V–to–50 V architectures at 10 kW, integrating auxiliary power and control to simplify adoption and enable high–power-density module designs for next-generation HVDC AI data centres. Read more on Navitas’ Whitepaper on “Redefining Data Center Power: GaN and SiC Technologies for Next-Gen 800 VDC Infrastructure”. “The design platform enables the transition to HVDC data centre power infrastructure, supporting the future power requirements of AI workloads that will demand between 100- and even 1,000-times more compute per query,” said Chris Allexandre, President and CEO of Navitas Semiconductor. “Navitas continues to redefine what’s possible in AI data centre power, with the 10 kW DC-DC solution giving breakthrough efficiency, power density, and scalability to allow faster and cooler operation while making them more sustainable.” The 10 kW DC-DC platform is being evaluated by key data centre customers through collaborative development and will make its debut at the Navitas booth (#2027) at APEC, March 22–26 in San Antonio, TX. https://navitassemi.com/ Infineon’s Silicon Carbide Power Semiconductors Selected for TOYOTA’s New “bZ4X” Infineon Technologies has announced that CoolSiC MOSFETs (silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs) have been adopted in the new bZ4X model from Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers. The company says iIntegrated into the on-board charger (OBC) and DC/DC converter, the SiC MOSFETs leverage the material’s advantages of low losses, high thermal resistance, and high voltage capability to help extend driving range and reduce charging time. “We are very proud that Toyota, one of the world’s largest automakers, has chosen Infineon’s CoolSiC technology. Silicon carbide enhances the range, efficiency and performance of electric vehicles and is therefore a very important part of the future of mobility.” said Peter Schaefer, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer Automotive at Infineon. “With our dedication and our commitment to innovation and zero-defect quality, we are well positioned to meet the growing demand for power electronics in electromobility.” Infineon says its CoolSiC MOSFETs feature a unique trench gate structure that reduces normalised on-resistance and chip size, enabling reductions in both conduction and switching losses to contribute to higher efficiency in automotive power systems. In addition, optimised parasitic capacitance and gate threshold voltage enable unipolar gate drive, contributing to simplification of drive circuits for automotive electric drive train and supporting high-density, high-reliability design for OBC and DC/DC converters. https://www.infineon.com/ Reliable Transient Voltage Protection for Automotive, Industrial and Energy Applications: Comprehensive TVS Diode Portfolio from YAGEO is Available at Rutronik With a broad portfolio of transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes by YAGEO, Rutronik says it is strengthening its circuit protection solutions for highreliability electronic systems. Covering standoff voltages from 5 V to 600 V and surge power ratings from 400 W up to 5,000 W, the portfolio is ideally suited for demanding applications in automotive, industrial and energy markets. The TVS diode series from YAGEO are designed to protect sensitive electronic circuits against ESD events, lightning-induced surges, load dump transients, and other voltage spikes. Thanks to their fast-clamping response, high peak pulse current capability, and stable electrical characteristics, the devices can reliably limit transient over voltages to safe levels, protecting downstream components. Depending on the series, the TVS diodes are specified for an operating temperature range from –55 °C to 150 °C, making them suitable for harsh environmental conditions. For automotive applications, selected series are
6 NEWS Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe Power Electronics Europe AEC-Q101 qualified, ensuring long-term reliability under temperature cycling, electrical stress, and repetitive surge exposure. YAGEO’s portfolio offers high flexibility for system designers. Multiple SMD and axial package options are available, including SMA, SMBJ, SMCJ, SOD123, low-profile DFN leadless packages, and high-power axial devices. This variety allows easy integration into space-constrained PCB layouts without compromising protection performance. Additional reliability is ensured through tight parameter control, advanced wafer-level chip processing, and YAGEO’s global quality and supply network, supporting mission-critical applications in automotive, industrial, and energy systems. www.rutronik24.com Farnell Unveils Nexperia’s NEVB-MTR1-KIT1 Motor Control Evaluation Kit Featuring Würth Elektronik Components Farnell has announced it has released a new unboxing video showcasing the NEVB-MTR1-KIT1 motor control evaluation kit. The kit is built by Nexperia, a leading semiconductor manufacturer and developed in partnership with Würth Elektronik. Bringing together Nexperia’s advanced semiconductor technology with Würth Elektronik’s high-performance passive components provides engineers with a ready-made platform to accelerate motor controller development. The video gives engineers and developers insights into the kit’s design, features, and real-world benefits. “We’re proud to showcase the result of a powerful collaboration between trusted partners,” said Jose Lok, Global Product Category Director – Onboard Components & SBC, Farnell. “This unboxing represents more than just a product. It reflects the strength of our supplier network, a shared commitment to excellence, and the seamless integration of expertise across every stage of development. From packaging to presentation, what you’ll see here is the outcome of aligned values, rigorous standards, and a partnership built on trust.” The comprehensive kit includes a 3-phase inverter board, a motor controller board, a Leonardo R3 microcontroller development board, pre-wired motor connections, and a brushless DC (BLDC) motor. Each board has been designed with precision and reliability in mind, and the unboxing video highlights its high build quality, robust technical performance, and extensive design support for developers. “Partnering with Würth Elektronik allows us to combine the best of both worlds, high-quality passive components and advanced power semiconductors, on a single board,” said Kinga Czutro, Senior Corporate Account Manager Distribution at Nexperia. “The board is not just a development tool. It’s a practical platform for enabling engineers and innovators to accelerate innovation at the core of their designs and move from prototype to production with confidence.” The NEVB-MTR1-KIT1 motor driver evaluation kit offers a modular, developer-friendly platform that adapts to diverse motors, control algorithms, and test environments. Its flexibility accelerates motor controller development and enables rapid iteration, testing, and optimisation, helping developers speed up time to market. The kit can be configured for use in under two minutes and is conveniently powered via USB-C. Würth Elektronik says it supplied a broad range of passive components for the kit — including inductors, ferrite beads, capacitors, and connectors — all selected for their reliability and performance in demanding motor control applications. A standout feature is the integration of high-current connectors, enabling evaluations up to 1 kW at 48 V. “We’re not just building components together, we’re building ecosystems that enable the development and operational excellence of smarter, faster, and more efficient solutions for every industry,” said Nicola Wieland, Export |Distribution Marketing Specialist for Würth Elektronik. Key applications for the kit include use with 12– 48V power tools and cordless equipment plus electric forklift trucks. The unboxing video is available via Farnell’s YouTube channel. http://www.farnell.com Advantech, a global leader in IoT intelligent systems and embedded platforms, has announced its partnership with DEEPX, a leading Korean AI semiconductor innovator specialising in NPU (Neural Processing Unit) technology. Advantech says this collaboration expands its AI chipset ecosystem and introduces the company’s first AI acceleration solution powered by DEEPX technology, the EAI-1961 series Edge AI Acceleration Module. “Advantech evaluates a broad range of AI chip technologies to address diverse industrial needs,” said Joey Hsu, Director of Advantech’s Embedded Sector. “DEEPX demonstrates commendable efficiency in power and thermal performance, which is essential for reliable edge AI deployment. By integrating DEEPX’s energy-efficient NPU with Advantech’s industrial hardware expertise, we aim to offer more optimised AI solutions for nextgeneration edge systems.” The newly launched EAI-1961 series is Advantech’s first product featuring DEEPX’s DX-M1 NPU technology. Designed in the industry-standard M.2 form factor, the module delivers up to 25 TOPS of AI inference while supporting up to 4GB of LPDDR5 memory. Its highly energy-efficient architecture ensures stable thermal behaviour even during heavy workloads, making it well suited for vision-centric applications such as robotic vision, intelligent surveillance, in-vehicle computing, and precision medical diagnostics. http://www.advantech.com Advantech Expands Global Edge AI Partner Ecosystem
MARKET NEWS 7 Power Electronics Europe Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe A new EPSRC funded UK research project is exploring how liquid metals could transform the way power electronics are built – making them more reliable and recyclable at end of life and helping tackle one of the fastestgrowing waste challenges facing the global technology sector. The project, being co-run by Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult and the University of Cambridge, focuses on developing a novel “floating” internal structure within power electronic devices using liquid metals. This approach reduces mechanical stress during operation, improves long-term reliability, and crucially allows components to be separated more easily when systems reach the end of their working life. The result is power electronics designed to live multiple lives, rather than being discarded after just one. This innovation comes at a critical time. Around 74 million tonnes of electronic waste are discarded globally every year – the equivalent of every person on the planet throwing away around 50 smartphones annually. That waste contains more than £40 billion worth of recoverable materials, most of which is never reclaimed. As electrification accelerates across sectors such as energy, transport and industry, the volume of power electronics in use is rising sharply – yet these systems are not always designed with repair, reuse or recycling in mind. When components fail or performance drops, entire units are often scrapped, turning valuable materials into waste and driving unnecessary environmental impact. By rethinking how power electronics are packaged and assembled, the project aims to change that trajectory. Alongside the liquid metal innovation, the team is developing a modular “standard cell” approach to power electronics design. This would allow common building blocks to be deployed across multiple applications, extending product lifetimes, simplifying repair, and reducing waste at scale. The project brings together the University of Cambridge and Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult, combining academic research with practical engineering and manufacturing expertise. Working closely with industry partners, the collaboration is focused on translating new ideas into scalable, real-world technology that can be adopted by UK businesses. By embedding reuse, repair and recyclability into the design process from the outset, the project is directly supporting the UK’s transition to a circular economy, helping to keep valuable materials in circulation and reduce the growing e-waste burden. For sectors rolling out electrification at scale, this approach could lower environmental impact while also improving resilience and long-term cost efficiency. Professor Teng Long, Principal Investigator on the project from the University of Cambridge, said: “Our vision is to create power electronics that are not only efficient and powerful but also designed to live multiple lives. This EPSRC support enables us to explore a truly circular approach – one that integrates high performance with environmental responsibility.” Dr Jayakrishnan Chandrappan, CoInvestigator on the project and Head of Packaging at CSA Catapult, said: “Power electronics underpin almost every piece of low-carbon technology. Yet they’re rarely designed with end-of-life in mind. Our hope with this project is that we can support and inspire UK businesses in our industry to adopt circular design principles, without compromising on performance. “By designing electronics with foundations that are built to last, be repaired and reused, we can demonstrate ways to meaningfully cut waste at scale, with huge benefits to the environment, while at the same time strengthening the UK’s power electronics supply chain.” https://csa.catapult.org.uk/ New project to cut e-waste by designing recyclable power electronics
8 MARKET NEWS Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe Power Electronics Europe UK semiconductor industry highlights scale-up as primary barrier to growth UK semiconductor companies say a lack of access to finance and infrastructure is restricting their ability to scale, preventing the industry from fulfilling its potential and competing globally. This is the finding of a new report published recently by the UK Semiconductor Centre (UKSC). Industry representatives from across the UK consistently highlighted shortages of patient capital, a lack of specialist investor knowledge in semiconductors, and complex public and private funding pathways that are often poorly aligned. Access to infrastructure — including open-access facilities and pilot lines — was also identified as a significant barrier to growth. These insights echo findings from a recent House of Lords committee report, which warned that a failure to scale science and technology companies is causing the UK economy to “bleed to death”. The new report draws on insights gathered during a series of UKSC-led workshops held over a three-month period at the end of 2025. Across 10 locations, the UKSC brought together more than 450 representatives from businesses, universities, local and national government, nonprofits, learned societies and trade bodies. The workshops were designed to gather feedback on the five missions the UKSC is working towards: business scale-up; international partnerships; a national strategic roadmap; ecosystem advocacy and promotion; and workforce and skills development. At each workshop, participants were asked to vote on the mission they believed was the most important national and regional priority. In response to the scale-up challenge, the UKSC intends to mobilise a combination of public and private capital at each stage of growth and grow a network of investors who are confident in semiconductor business models, whether they have invested in semiconductors before or not. The UKSC will also undertake an extensive ecosystem mapping exercise so UK organisations can find partners, facilities, infrastructure and support quickly that will enable them to scale. Workforce and skills development was also highlighted as a significant national challenge, with participants describing a fragile talent pipeline that is not keeping pace with the rapid growth of the semiconductor industry. It is estimated that nearly 40% of the UK semiconductor workforce will reach retirement age within the next 15 years, potentially leaving a shortfall of more than 10,000 roles. Participants highlighted limited exposure to electronics and semiconductor careers among schoolchildren, gaps in apprenticeship and technician pathways, and the need for greater diversity across the sector. Stronger links between education and industry were also identified as essential to ensure students and graduates are equipped with work-ready skills. The UKSC is a strategic hub established to connect, represent and promote the UK semiconductor industry in the UK and internationally. Its goal is to unlock the full potential of the UK semiconductor sector by maximising opportunities, growth and reach. The UKSC will use the findings of the report to inform future activity, workstreams, analysis and engagement across the ecosystem. Semiconductors underpin almost all modern technology — from AI and data centres to electrification, connectivity, healthcare and defence. As the global market enters a major growth cycle driven by AI compute and electrification, there is a significant opportunity for the UK to seize. The UK has globally respected capability across research, advanced materials, compound semiconductors, power electronics, photonics and semiconductor design. Raj Gawera, Chief Operating Officer of the UK Semiconductor Centre, said: “This report provides invaluable insight into the key challenges facing our industry, alongside a wealth of constructive ideas on how the UK Semiconductor Centre can help address them. Participants consistently viewed the UKSC as coordinating effort, advocating on behalf of the sector, and providing a unified voice. “Across the ten workshops, it was extremely encouraging to see the passion and commitment of people working across the sector, and a shared determination to see the UK succeed as a globally recognised semiconductor nation. “With the rapid growth of AI, electrification and quantum technologies, we are facing a once-in-ageneration opportunity that the UK can absolutely capitalise on and place itself at the centre of these revolutionary technologies. “This report will inform UKSC’s action plan and act as a springboard to help build a stronger, more connected ecosystem that is ready to compete on the world stage.” https://uksemicentre.org.uk/ To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com
MARKET NEWS 9 Power Electronics Europe Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe What rising raw material prices mean for electronics If you feel like you’re paying more for your electronic components, you’re not imagining it. Thanks to upstream pressures, rising prices for key commodities used across electronics and manufacturing are filtering down into everything from copper-heavy printed circuit boards (PCBs) to metal-backed passives. Here, Chris Withers, Sales Director at Zel Components, an alternative electronic parts supplier, explains how engineers can respond more quickly to market volatility. On the London Metal Exchange (LME), copper reached record territory in early January 2026, pushing above $13,300 per tonne. That’s more than 20% higher than the late 2025 average as stock tightness and strong industrial demand combined. That matters because copper isn’t just a metal you read about in commodity news. It’s used extensively in printed circuit boards, internal connectors and wiring, as well as across many power and signal paths in electronics. As a result, movements in copper pricing directly influence the cost of the boards and assemblies engineers design and build. Precious metals are also impacting pricing dynamics. Gold recently surged above $5,000 per ounce, reaching a series of record highs in the first few weeks of 2026 amid market volatility and safe-haven demand. While gold isn’t in every bill of materials, it’s used in contact plating and specialist components where performance meets reliability. Likewise, aluminium has traded firmly above $3,000 per tonne on global benchmarks and is forecast to remain well supported given current market dynamics. Even when commodity analysts suggest prices might ease later in the year, the near-term story is volatility, which introduces risk. When inputs move Engineers regularly buy copper foil, laminates and boards priced off copper’s movement. Over 2025 and into 2026, manufacturers of copper-clad laminate — the base material for almost all FR-4 boards — began issuing public price adjustments directly linked to rising raw materials. Some supplier notices describe increases of up to 30% across all thicknesses of copper-clad laminate and prepreg, driven by higher copper prices, glass cloth costs and processing expenses. This is the kind of upstream movement that doesn’t stay upstream. It filters through every layer of a PCB quotation, especially in multi-layer designs where copper and prepreg content is higher. The wider passive component landscape tells a similar story. Industry analysis shows price increases across capacitors, inductors, ferrite beads and related passives. These range from single digit to double-digit percentages for early 2026 deliveries, often citing metals and process cost inflation among the drivers. This doesn’t mean you should panic buy every part in your current bill of materials (BOM). However, it does mean that the old “wait-and-see” strategy is getting riskier, particularly if you’re dependent on a single branded source for key sections of your design. Alternative sourcing Second sourcing is moving back into focus, not as a cost-cutting exercise but as a form of risk management. Pin-for-pin alternatives, for instance, allow engineering teams to maintain electrical and mechanical compatibility while reducing dependence on individual manufacturers, whose pricing or lead times may be more exposed to raw material volatility. This approach is particularly effective for widely used regulators, discretes, interface devices and passives, where functional equivalence is well understood and validation cycles are manageable. As volatility increases, having approved alternatives already mapped can significantly reduce disruption when prices shift or allocations appear. When suppliers combine local stock with extended inventory and effective cross-reference tools, response times improve. During a time of uncertain input costs, that flexibility is as valuable as unit price, provided performance remains consistent. Prices might ease at some point, but it’s difficult to predict when. Volatility isn’t going away, and when raw material costs feed into electronics pricing, it’s the teams that design and source with flexibility in mind that are better positioned to respond when conditions change. For more information on pin-for-pin alternatives and ways to reduce sourcing risk across current designs, visit the Zel Components website - https://zelcomponents.co.uk/
10 HARNESSING AI IN SPACE www.vicorpower.com Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com Harnessing AI in space to enable faster communication and a new era of innovation Rad-tolerant DC-DC converter modules power AI1 Transponder for in-orbit computation By Salah Ben Doua, Sr. Principal Field Application Engineer EMEA Aerospace and Defense & Satellite Solutions, Vicor Since 2010 the number of satellites orbiting earth has increased by 25 times. Satellites cost millions of dollars to deploy and are designed to remain in orbit 5 to 10 years, requiring reliable and robust onboard processor systems to support the duration of a mission. The demand for smaller satellites with increasingly sophisticated computational capabilities is pushing the limits of the latest ultra-deep-submicron FPGAs and ASICs and their power delivery networks. These high-performance processors have demanding, low-voltage, high-current power requirements and their system design is further compounded by the complexities of managing thermal and radiation conditions in space. Embracing these challenges, Spacechips has introduced its Spacechips AI1 Transponder product, a small, onboard processor card containing an Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP) AI accelerator. The system delivers up to 133 tera operations per second (TOPS) of performance to support new real-time autonomous computing applications, while ensuring the reliability and longevity to complete longer missions. “Many spacecraft operators simply don’t have sufficient bandwidth in the RF spectrum to download all of the data they’ve acquired for real-time processing,” said Dr. Rajan Bedi, CEO of Spacechips. “An alternative solution is accomplishing the processing in-orbit and simply downlink the intelligent insights.” The impact of in-orbit computing for applications in space and on Earth Spacechips is harnessing powerful artificial intelligence compute engines capable of enabling in-orbit AI to address a variety challenges including monitoring mission critical spacecraft system health. AI algorithms can continuously assess the health of onboard subsystems—power, thermal, altitude control and communications—by learning normal operational patterns and detecting anomalies early. Beyond satellite operations, innovative applications address a variety of space-related and Earth-bound problems that benefit from faster communications that enable proactive responses. 1. Tracking space debris to avoid costly collisions AI-equipped satellites can autonomously detect, classify and track space debris when direct line-of-sight communication with Earth is not possible using real-time data captured from onboard imaging sensors. Traditional ground-based monitoring often struggles with smaller, fast-moving fragments, but AI can process sensor input in real-time to predict trajectories and identify collision risks. Neural networks trained in orbital mechanics help refine debris catalogs and update avoidance maneuvers autonomously. 2. Identifying severe weather patterns AI on satellites observing the Earth’s atmosphere can enhance the identification and prediction of severe weather events. Instead of simply collecting imagery, an onboard neural network can segment cloud types, estimate storm intensity and flag rapidly forming systems for higherpriority downlink. This allows faster response to severe weather events and improves localized forecasting accuracy, especially over oceans and remote regions where ground sensors are sparse. 3. Detecting surface hotspots and predicting flashpoints Infrared sensors paired with AI can detect temperature anomalies such as wildfires, volcanic activity or industrial accidents. Machine learning models trained on historical patterns can distinguish between benign heat sources and emerging “flashpoints,” enabling near-real-time alerts to disaster response agencies. Predictive modeling also helps identify regions at elevated risk before ignition occurs, allowing for preemptive action. 4. Reporting critical crop production rainfall data AI can combine multispectral imaging, GPS-tagged agricultural zones and rainfall data to assess crop health, yield potential and water stress. Models can distinguish between soil moisture variations, nutrient deficiencies and disease indicators. When fused with climate and precipitation inputs, onboard AI can deliver rapid, localized agricultural intelligence to governments and farmers, supporting sustainable food production and resource allocation. Today’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) observation spacecraft can establish direct line of sight over a specific region only about once every 10 minutes. If satellites were trained to fill those blind spots using AI algorithms, emergency management teams could make faster, better-informed decisions regarding which potential flashpoint areas are the most vulnerable. The goal is to design intelligent, autonomous real-time decision-making when direct line-of-sight communication with Earth is not possible. “In the case of disaster management, whether it’s a wildfire or a devastating flood, the difference between seconds and minutes is huge in terms of protecting people and wildlife, and reducing the destruction to infrastructure and property,” Bedi said. “If we can make these decisions quicker, we can minimize damage and loss of life.”
www.vicorpower.com HARNESSING AI IN SPACE 11 www.power-mag.com Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe Bedi cited breakthroughs like the AMD Versal adaptive compute acceleration platforms, a family of advanced FPGAs that deliver up to 133 TOPS using 8-bit integer inference models to reduce memory and computational overhead. This level of onchip processing can enable in-orbit AI where spacecraft and payloads make intelligent, in-situ decisions autonomously and in real-time – without downlinking gigabytes of data for ground-based postprocessing in the cloud. This incurs a latency and a financial cost. Spacechips AI1 processor board designed for in-orbit AI and machinelearning communication Spacechips serves a spectrum of space applications each with differing orbital, reliability and longevity requirements. Some payloads remain in low-Earth orbit for weeks or months, while others operate in geostationary orbit for a decade or more. Bedi vets the diverse needs of new space companies to help them determine if their requirements are better met by a $100,000 spacequalified FPGA or a $200 industrial-grade processor. By understanding the design tradeoffs, Spacechips steers its customers toward mission-optimized solutions. Spacechips AI1 Transponder Board is a smart, reconfigurable receiver and transmitter offering up to 133 TOPS of in-orbit AI and machine-learning performance. This capability will enable many new Earth-observation, in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and telecommunication applications for satellites. Given the constrained operating environment of space, AI-enabled computing has an acute need for precision power management. The need is compounded by the significantly expanding number, scope and variety of missions that require different kinds of spacecraft and a growing reliance on some form of solar power to deliver adequate power. These crafts range from geosynchronous satellites the size of a city bus to CubeSats and FemtoSats, which can be smaller than a shoebox with a mass of less than 100 grams. “These smaller spacecraft need to generate and harvest a lower amount of energy from their solar panels. We cannot simply design space electronics where all of the microchips consume 20 watts,” Bedi said. “We have to be much more intelligent when optimizing our design to ensure it meets the power budget that is supplied by the relevant spacecraft platform.” Vicor Factorized Power Architecture with current multipliers reduce size and weight— delivers top processor performance in space Spacechips has partnered with Vicor to provide the critical power architecture for in-orbit AI processing. “These microchips have an approximate core voltage of 0.8 volts with a TDC of 130 amps. How do you actually generate such a power rail?” Bedi asked. “That’s a huge problem to solve. We could take a conventional multiphase buck and connect ten of them in parallel, but then what you get is physically large and very complicated due to voltage averaging as a means of deriving the 0.8V” The value of the Vicor solution, according to Bedi, is that it is very small and power dense, which allows for smaller designs and greater system flexibility. Vicor Factorized Power Architecture (FPA™) is a power delivery system design that separates the functions of DC-DC conversion into independent modules. In radiation-tolerant Vicor modules, the BCM® bus converter provides the isolation and step-down transformation to 28V, the PRM™ regulator provides regulation to a VTM™ current multiplier that performs the 28V DC transformation to 0.8V. This allows for better efficiency, flexibility and higher power density, especially in highperformance computing applications. “Vicor FPA delivers a much more elegant, efficient solution in a very small form factor,” Bedi said. “I recently taught a course on power microelectronics for space applications, in which we showed the relative package size, current density and power density of Vicor DC-DC converters against all competing space-grid power products. The benefits of Vicor FPA are simply an order of magnitude superior to everything else on the market.” Bedi has incorporated Vicor FPA power Figure 1 In-orbit AI can detect temperature anomalies such as wildfires, volcanic activity or industrial accidents using Spacechips AI1 processor. Emergency management teams can also make faster, better-informed decisions about which fire prone areas are the most vulnerable.
12 HARNESSING AI IN SPACE www.vicorpower.com Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com modules into the Spacechips AI1 board. The Versal FPGA-based, reconfigurable, AIenabled transponder allows telecommunications and SIGINT operators to perform real-time, on-board processing by autonomously changing RF frequency plans, channelization, modulation and communication standards based on live traffic needs. Vicor power converter modules also feature a dual powertrain, which for fault-intolerant space applications provides built-in redundancy that allows loads to be driven at 100 percent on each side of the powertrain. “These advantages justified our decision to baseline Vicor FPA for Spacechips AI1,” Bedi said. “And because we’ve already derisked and designed-in a scalable power solution, we can move to even higher levels of power consumption without reinventing the wheel.” A lofty vision for making our world a better place Bedi said Spacechips will continue striving to increase processing power and flexibility to support the next generation of satellite missions. Bedi is driven by the opportunity, not only to solve emerging technical space problems, but to identify new applications that can better serve our world. “Spacechips is still the world’s only dedicated space electronics company,” Bedi shared. “We’re part of a New Space Economy that is growing rapidly and poised to offer a lot of great value to a wide variety of markets. Many non-space companies are now capitalizing on space data to enhance the delivery of their products and services. It’s a new industrial revolution, and our products and services align with that opportunity.” Together Spacechips and Vicor have partnered to design the most power dense processer board on orbit. The AI1 board is rad-tolerant, rugged and compact, setting a new standard for power processing and enabling the untold impact of computing for New Space. The innovative spirit and drive of Spacechips is changing our world from outer space to Earth. Vicor and BCM® are registered trademarks of Vicor Corporation. FPA™, PRM™ and VTM™ are trademarks of Vicor Corporation. Figure 2 Vicor Factorized Power Architecture (FPA™) separates the functions of DC-DC conversion into independent modules. Using radiation-tolerant modules, the BCM® bus converter provides the isolation, the PRM™ regulator provides the regulation and the VTM™ current multiplier performs the DC transformation. This allows for better efficiency, flexibility and higher power density, especially in high-performance computing applications. To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com
14 SIC POWER ELECTRONICS INITIATIVE https://www.heraeus-electronics.com/en/ Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com FastLane By Dirk Brauer, Research & Innovation Director at Valeo eAutomotive Germany GmbH; Dr. Sebastian Fritzsche, Manager Technology Scouting at Heraeus Electronics GmbH & Co. KG As the global electronics industry undergoes a seismic shift toward sustainability, efficiency, and sovereignty, Silicon Carbide (SiC) is emerging as the cornerstone of next-generation power electronics. At the heart of this transformation is FastLane—a three-year European funded project launched in 2024, uniting 29 partners across seven countries to redefine the SiC value chain from raw materials to system-level demonstrators. Led by Valeo and supported by the EU, FastLane is more than a research project— it’s a strategic blueprint for Europe’s technological resilience. Its mission: to boost energy efficiency, reduce CO 2 emissions, and strengthen EU sovereignty. This article focusses on the key packaging material innovations such as metal ceramic substrates (silver free AMB), bonding wires, die top system and sinter paste. This project enables highly reliable, costeffective and high performance SiC power modules. FastLane - Boosting EU material value chain for SiC power electronics Dirk Brauer, Research & Innovation Director at Valeo eAutomotive Germany GmbH; Dr. Sebastian Fritzsche, Manager Technology Scouting at Heraeus Electronics GmbH & Co. KG The global electronics industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the demand for higher efficiency, environmental sustainability, and strategic autonomy. In this evolving landscape, Silicon Carbide (SiC) has emerged as a key enabler of nextgeneration power applications. To harness its full potential, the European FastLane project, launched in 2024, supports EU independence in critical raw materials while developing an independent SiC raw material and device supply chain and broadening SiC functionalities to overcome current limitations. A Pan-European Effort to Reshape Power Electronics FastLane is a three-year initiative co-funded by the European Union, bringing together 29 partners from seven countries, including leading research institutions, specialized SMEs, and major industrial players. Under the coordination of Valeo, the consortium aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of power electronics by developing a robust, independent SiC supply chain— from raw materials to system-level demonstrators. By leveraging economies of scale, FastLane drives cost-efficient energy conversion applications, strengthening Europe’s technological and economic resilience in power electronics. The project’s comprehensive structure spans multiple work packages and collaborative efforts, covering the entire SiC power electronics value chain. This includes material development, device fabrication, packaging innovations, and final system integration. Left Source: Adobe Stocks, modified by Heraeus Electronics Below: Overview Project Partners in the Consortium Source: FastLane Project
https://www.heraeus-electronics.com/en/ SIC POWER ELECTRONICS INITIATIVE 15 www.power-mag.com Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe Materials Innovation for Scalable SiC Integration Within the FastLane consortium, materials development plays a central role in enabling the assembly and performance of advanced SiC power modules. Among the contributors, Heraeus Electronics supports the integration of six distinct SiC module designs through three specialized packaging technologies. These innovations address key challenges in thermal management, electrical performance, and reliability—critical factors for next-generation power electronics. The company’s focus lies in developing environmentally responsible materials that facilitate miniaturization, forward integration, and high-efficiency energy conversion. In response to industry-wide shifts—such as the rise of e-mobility, AI, and next-generation communication technologies—collaborative innovation across the value chain has become essential. Heraeus Electronics engages in joint research efforts with academic institutions, start-ups, equipment providers, and end users, contributing to broader ecosystem development through EU funded initiatives and industry associations . Technical Innovations: Three Packaging Building Blocks To achieve the FastLane project goal for higher efficiency of power modules SiC dies enable them to operate at >175°C, with higher switching frequencies and increased power densities. Their effective implementation requires advanced packaging materials. Heraeus contributes within FastLane with the following key innovations: 1. Ag sinter pastes enabling attachment of Active metal brazed (AMB) substrates without noble metal surfaces 2. Ag-free AMB substrates with designs reducing parasitic inductance and 3. Die-Top System (DTS©) enabling reliable Cu bonding to SiC dies. 1. Silver Sintering for AMB Substrate Attachment on Aluminum Baseplates To reduce both cost and weight in SiC power module packaging, Heraeus has developed the PE 360P silver sinter paste, enabling the attachment of Active Metal Brazed (AMB) substrates to aluminum baseplates without the need for precious metal surfaces. This innovation offers significant advantages: Up to 70% weight reduction Cost savings of up to 91% compared to copper baseplates Initial results with PE 360P show robust AMB adhesion and minimal delamination (<5%) already with Cucoated Al baseplates after 1500 temperature cycles (–55 °C/+150 °C), Material innovations in power electronic modules addressing key challenges in thermal management, electrical performance, and reliability. Source: Heraeus Electronics Schematic drawing of AMBs sintered to baseplates. Source: Heraeus Electronics comparable to similar Ag-coated baseplates. In contrast, Ni-coated Al baseplates fail to ensure sufficient adhesion. Ongoing work focuses further on optimizing Ag sintering directly on non-precious metals coated Al. This approach supports scalable, costefficient packaging for high-performance SiC modules. 2. Silver-Free, Low-Inductance AMB Substrates The second major innovation centers on the development of silver-free, lowinductance AMB substrates using Si 3 N 4 ceramics, designed to reduce parasitic inductance and improve cost efficiency. Key benefits include: Reduced cost through elimination of silver (Ag content >60wt% in conventional AMB pastes) Reduced Ag migration for enhanced reliability Superior performance compared to traditional Direct Copper Bonded (DCB) substrates
16 SIC POWER ELECTRONICS INITIATIVE https://www.heraeus-electronics.com/en/ Issue 1 2026 Power Electronics Europe www.power-mag.com Scanning acoustic microscopy confirmed the reliability of these AMB 2.0 substrates after thermal shock testing (–65°C to +150°C). Their performance rivals Agcontaining AMB, surpasses DCB substrates, and meets all customer specifications. Their integration into Valeo’s lowinductance power modules is planned as the next step. This innovation also strengthens 3. Die Top System for Copper Wire Bonding The third building block addresses top-side interconnection, a critical factor for achieving high reliability in SiC modules. Heraeus has developed the Die Top System (DTS®) in collaboration with European partners. This system features a copper foil with pre-applied sinter material, enabling copper wire bonding with over 10 Scanning acoustic microscope results after thermal cycling of AMBs attached to three different baseplate types. Source: Heraeus Electronics Scanning acoustic microscope results after thermal cycling of AMB and DCB substrates. Source: Heraeus Electronics the European AMB supply chain, with all key manufacturing partners—including metal and ceramic suppliers and Heraeus Electronics’ technology and production site— located within Europe. This supports risk mitigation, improves supply chain stability, reduces CO 2 emissions, and enhances the EU’s market position. To ensure secure global delivery capability, Heraeus Electronics also maintains a dual-source strategy in Asia. Schematic drawing of die top system DTS®. Source: Heraeus Electronics
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