Nvidia partners with Navitas Semiconductor to develop 800V high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power architecture for next-gen data centers.

Navitas Semiconductor has announced a collaboration with Nvidia on their next-generation 800 V HVDC architecture to support 'Kyber' rack-scale systems powering GPUs such as Rubin Ultra, enabled by GaNFast and GeneSiC power technologies. Nvidia's 800V DC architecture aims to establish high-efficiency, scalable power delivery for next-generation AI workloads while ensuring greater reliability, efficiency, and reduced infrastructure complexity.

Modern AI data centers require gigawatts of power to meet the increasing demand for AI computation. Nvidia's approach directly converts the 13.8 kV AC grid power to 800 V HVDC at the data center perimeter using solid state transformers and industrial-grade rectifiers, eliminating several AC/DC and DC/DC conversion steps to maximize efficiency and reliability. The 800V HVDC directly powers the IT racks, eliminating the need for additional AC-DC converters, before being converted by DC-DC converters to lower voltages that drive GPUs such as the Rubin Ultra.

The higher voltage level of 800 V HVDC enables significant infrastructure improvements. The thickness of copper wires can be reduced by up to 45% due to I2R losses, allowing the same amount of power to be delivered with increased voltage and lower current. Using a traditional 54V DC system, over 200 kg of copper would be needed to power a 1MW rack, which is not sustainable for next-generation AI data centers with gigawatt power demand.

Navitas' contribution includes high-power GaNSafe power ICs that integrate control, drive, sensing, and critical protection features to enable reliability and robustness. The company also offers a family of medium voltage GaN devices optimized for secondary side DC-DC conversion, delivering high-speed, high efficiency performance in small footprints for AI data center PSUs with outputs of 48V-54V. "We are proud to be selected by Nvidia to collaborate on their 800 HVDC architecture initiative," said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas. "Our latest innovations in high-power GaN and SiC technologies have seen world firsts and have created new inflections into markets such as AI datacenters and electric vehicles. With our wide portfolio range, we can support Nvidia's 800V HVDC infrastructure, from grid to the GPU."