Building the next generation of power systems with GaN – An interview with Infineon Technologies

GaN has become one of the most transformative materials in the power electronics industry, reshaping how energy is converted and delivered across multiple sectors. The power GaN market is projected to reach about $3 billion by 2030, marking a significant step toward mainstream adoption, as announced in the Power GaN 2025 report powered by Yole Group.

The technology’s first wave of success has been driven by the consumer segment, particularly fast chargers, which have established the foundation for the ecosystem to mature and volume production. By 2030, this segment alone is expected to exceed $1.6 billion. A new growth phase is now unfolding across the automotive, data center, and industrial segments.

The transition toward vehicle electrification, the increasing demand for efficient data management in AI-driven data centers, and the integration of renewable energy are accelerating GaN’s penetration. Yole Group’s analysts announced that the automotive GaN market is forecast to reach $540 million by 2030, growing at an exceptional 73% CAGR_24-30. In parallel, the data center and telecom segment is expected to reach $380 million.

The power GaN industry is currently experiencing a decisive period of consolidation and vertical integration, reshaping the competitive landscape. Several major acquisitions have signaled this structural evolution, notably Infineon Technologies’ $830 million acquisition of GaN Systems.

Within this evolving context, Infineon Technologies plays a central role as a long-standing leader in power semiconductors and a key contributor to the development of the GaN ecosystem. The company’s GaN activities are part of a broader portfolio that also includes silicon and SiC technologies, reflecting the industry’s shift toward a multi-material approach.

Infineon’s CoolGaN™ platform and the integration of GaN Systems have expanded Infineon’s reach across voltage classes and applications, covering consumer power adapters, data center power supplies, industrial drives, and automotive systems.

Its ongoing work on 300 mm GaN-on-Si pilot lines underscores the focus on manufacturing scalability and cost competitiveness. As the market advances toward large-scale adoption, Infineon’s position highlights how established semiconductor players are leveraging technology, integration, and ecosystem partnerships to shape the next phase of GaN’s evolution in power electronics.

Today, Yole Group welcomes Dr. Johannes Schoiswohl, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the GaN Systems Business Line at Infineon Technologies, for this interview. Roy Dagher, PhD, Market & Technology Analyst specializing in the power GaN market and related technologies, sits down with Dr. Schoiswohl to discuss market trends and key challenges, and to gain deeper insights into Infineon Technologies’ strategy and vision in this domain.

Grab a coffee, take a seat, and enjoy this engaging and informative conversation.

Roy Daguer (RD): Please briefly introduce Infineon Technologies (Infineon) and share its core mission in the power electronics industry.

Dr. Johannes Schoiswohl (JS): Infineon Technologies is a leading global semiconductor company that specializes in designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling a wide range of semiconductor solutions. With a rich history dating back to 1999, Infineon has established itself as a key player in the global electronics market, catering to various industries such as automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics.

At its core, Infineon’s mission is to decarbonize and digitalize the world. In that context, Infineon has established itself as a leading supplier of power semiconductor solutions based on innovative technologies that enable efficient, reliable, and sustainable electronic systems. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad range of power electronics components, such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), power MOSFETs, silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) wide-bandgap transistors and corresponding gate drivers and microcontrollers, which are used in various applications, including renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, industrial drives, and power supplies.

RD: Infineon is a pioneer in both silicon and wide-bandgap (WBG) devices. How does Infineon balance its focus between established silicon technologies and emerging materials such as GaN and SiC?

JS: Industry analysts such as Yole have projected that the market will continue to be a mix of all three transistor technologies. As a leader in the semiconductor industry, Infineon recognizes the importance of balancing its focus between established silicon technologies and emerging materials such as GaN and SiC. This balance is crucial to ensuring the company remains competitive while driving innovation and addressing the evolving needs of its customers.

On one hand, Infineon continues to invest in and optimize its established silicon-based technologies, such as the recent announcement of the world’s thinnest silicon power MOSFET wafer. Infineon’s silicon transistor technologies have been refined over decades and offer a high level of maturity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. By further improving these technologies, Infineon provides its customers with enhanced performance, efficiency, and value.

On the other hand, Infineon is also actively engaged in the development and commercialization of GaN and SiC. These materials offer significant advantages over traditional silicon, including higher switching frequencies, lower losses, and increased power density. GaN, in particular, has gained considerable attention in recent years due to its potential to enable faster, more efficient, and more compact power conversion systems. Infineon has established a strong GaN team, IP portfolio, and roadmap designed to address the needs of applications such as consumer chargers and adapters, data centers, renewable energy systems, robots, and electric vehicles.

RD: How does Infineon’s CoolGaN^TM technology differentiate itself from competing GaN solutions? And which application areas and market segments are you prioritizing for CoolGaN^TM adoption?

JS: Infineon has the size, strength, and financial capabilities to drive the GaN Market as a leader in

RD: In Q2 2025, you introduced your latest GaN power module. Could you elaborate on the target applications for this module and your timeline for volume production?

JS: Target applications for GaN power modules include isolated DC/DC converters and DC/AC inverter stages. The likely first adoption will be industrial motor drives, then potentially expanding to DC fast chargers, solar inverters, and UPS applications. Precise production timing is dependent on customer demand, though it is anticipated to be in early 2027.

RD: Looking ahead, in which applications or industries do you believe GaN technology will see the most significant penetration over the next five years, and what factors will drive this adoption?

JS: GaN has a growing value proposition across most applications. A build-up of market forces in combination with customers strengthening their knowledge and confidence in GaN is leading to upward trends in data center, solar, robots, and automotive. Factors driving the increasing demand for GaN include the continuous need for more power driven by AI and video content, more stringent regulatory requirements for improved power efficiency, and consumer demand for longer battery life or range in portable and e-mobility applications.

RD: Infineon was the first to achieve 300 mm GaN-on-Si. What advantages or breakthroughs will this milestone enable?

JS: As a global leader in the semiconductor industry, Infineon’s achievement of 300 mm GaN-on-Si is a significant milestone that enables several advantages and breakthroughs, including:

RD: Do you expect GaN, SiC, and silicon to remain complementary technologies, coexisting each in its space, or do you see GaN challenging SiC at higher voltages above 700V and reaching cost parity with silicon at lower voltages below 200V?

JS: Today, Infineon sees GaN, SiC, and silicon to be complementary technologies, coexisting in their respective spaces. Our 8kW AI Power supply is a good example of a power supply where each portion is optimized with a specific technology: SiC for the PFC, GaN for the LLC, and Si for the SR. In future AI data centers with 800 VDC architectures, we also see all three materials being utilized at different conversion stages from grid to core to enable maximum efficiency. In the mid- to long-term, however, we believe that GaN and SiC will find increasingly broader adoption across many more markets where performance and system cost have to be optimized, leading to a continuous transition from Si to GaN and SiC in those performance-driven applications. This also means that Si will continue to occupy a significant portion of the market, given its excellent cost/performance ratio at the product level.

RD: What’s next for Infineon Technologies? Are there any upcoming innovations, product releases, or technical milestones we should be watching for?

JS: Absolutely. Infineon continues to invest to maintain its leadership. This includes new technologies, including voltage nodes, device performance, and packaging. We announced more than sixty new products this year and anticipate a similar number in 2026. Along with an even stronger GaN portfolio, we will be offering leading system solutions, including drivers, controllers, and sensors, to ensure optimal system performance and ease of use for our customers.

GaN has emerged as one of the most disruptive semiconductor technologies of the decade, with a market projected to reach $3 billion by 2030. Consumer applications, particularly fast chargers, have been the early adopters, driving volume growth and ecosystem maturity. By 2030, the Consumer and Mobile segment is projected to constitute over 50% of the total Power GaN device market…

Source: www.infineon.com