In Russia, the first samples of a compact power converter for drones and server equipment have been tested. The development was presented by scientists from Novosibirsk State Technical University with the support of the Russian Science Foundation.
The new converter is built on gallium nitride transistors, a semiconductor material with a band gap three times larger than that of silicon. This allows devices to operate at elevated voltages and switching frequencies up to several megahertz. As a result, passive components are reduced in size, and the power supply itself becomes lighter and more compact without losing power.
The engineers proposed placing both bare semiconductor crystals and packaged components on the same ceramic board. Additionally, a power transformer is integrated into the board, and the control algorithms and calculation of the converter's operating modes constitute the scientific novelty of the project.
Currently, the team is testing prototypes. Next year, it is planned to manufacture a prototype on a low-temperature ceramic substrate with integrated crystals.
Replacing traditional textolite with ceramics increases heat dissipation by up to 8 times, which is critical for the stable operation of power elements and maintaining high efficiency.
The development is focused on use in unmanned systems, radar complexes, telecommunications equipment, and data centers — where compactness, energy efficiency, and reliability of secondary power supplies are important.