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    Point-of-Load (POL) and Multi-Phase Converters

    T33.1 - A 98.0% Efficiency GaN-Based Intermediate Bus Converter (IBC) with Bidirectional Full-Wave Current Sensor and Near-Zero Dead-Time GaN Driver for Data Center Applications

    Thursday, March 26, 2026
    10:20 AM - 10:40 AM CT
    Location: 214A
    The rising power demands of next-generation data center GPUs necessitate high-efficiency, high-density power delivery, where 48V IBC is one critical technical bottleneck. This paper demonstrates a GaN-based buck converter with a bidirectional full-wave GaN current sensor and a near-zero tdead GaN driver, which can be extended for multiphase IBC. The proposed current sensor uses all-GaN sense FETs and high bandwidth amplifiers, achieving a lossless, high-speed, and accurate current sensing and protection. Besides, the near-zero tdead GaN driver with high CMTI level shifters reduces the GaN driver propagation delay and prevents the driver from false triggering. Fabricated in a 0.18μm high-voltage BCD process, the bidirectional full-wave current sensor accomplishes a current sensing error of only 1.9% across a VIN range of 24V to 48V, and only 5.7% across a temperature range of -40℃ to 125℃. Thanks to the high CMTI level shifter and near-zero tdead GaN driving scheme, the tdeads are optimized as 2.9ns and 2.2ns during the VSW rising falling intervals. The GaN converter achieves a peak efficiency of 98.0% in 48V to 12V conversion and delivers a peak power of 120W in a single phase