400VDC, 2kW+ GaN Half-Bridge Arduino Shield

As power systems push toward higher efficiency and tighter regulatory targets, designers are turning to GaN-based architectures for faster switching, smaller form factors, and lower thermal overhead. This scalable power stage is built around cascode E-mode GaN technology, which eliminates the need for a negative gate drive, simplifying the design and improving reliability. Compared to IGBT implementations, it reduces switching and conduction losses by up to 75%, enabling higher efficiency, higher switching frequencies, and a significantly smaller system footprint. The corresponding reduction in heat dissipation enables smaller heatsinks, lower active cooling requirements, and higher usable output power.

Built in an Arduino-compatible shield form factor, this design enables rapid prototyping and scalability across Renesas fast prototyping board, evaluation kit, and development kit platforms, providing flexible MCU selection. Reinforced isolation between the control and power stages ensures safe operation, while high-frequency switching of up to several hundred kHz makes it well suited for demanding applications such as Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Ki wireless power transfer and high-performance motor control. Combined with the Ki wireless power transceiver system, the design provides the power conversion stage for a complete wireless power transmitter capable of delivering more than 2kW through inductive coupling.

System Benefits:

• Scalable power stage delivering >2kW from a 400VDC bus, optimized for high-efficiency, high-density power conversion
• Rapid prototyping with an Arduino-compatible shield, scalable across Renesas fast prototyping board, evaluation kit, and development kit platforms for flexible MCU selection
• End-to-end Renesas integration with gate drivers, optocouplers, analog isolators, and power management ICs for optimized performance and compatibility
• Simplified design enabled by cascode E-mode GaN technology, eliminating the need for negative gate rails and reducing driver complexity
• High-frequency switching of up to several hundred kHz, enabling efficient operation for WPC Ki wireless power transfer and high-performance motor control
• Reinforced isolation between control and power stages for safe operation in high-power environments