For long, semiconductors have been associated with silicon, even though silicon is just one of a handful of semiconductors. But now, a challenger has emerged. Bengaluru-based Power Systems has achieved success with gallium a material that offers several significant advantages over silicon. To name two, the chips can be “95 per cent smaller” than a silicon chip of the same functionality, while also being more energy efficient. For example, a 1,200 working on 30 amp current would be 30 sq mm with silicon; with it would be just 2 sq mm. “It is not like others haven’t been working on says Dinesh Ramanathan, one of the founders and co-CEO of but with a decade of research the founders have figured out how to use the material. The company has 105 patents, with applications for 30 more pending. So, the science was already known, but worked it into a technology. The company was founded in 2017 by Ramanathan and a group of investors led by Ahmad the former founder of the solar energy developer investment arm Investment Group has parented several companies in India in the recent past, including and the manufacturer recently raised an undisclosed sum from a group of investors, has 20 people in its Bengaluru office and this number will rise five-fold soon. Ramanathan calls “the biggest revolution in power electronics in 30 years”. At the heart of the technology is the concept called energy’, which is the energy required by the outermost electrons of an atom to jump out of the atom energy is more than three times that of silicon, which means it is three times more stable. Power electronics made therefore, can work in high-temperature conditions, such as in automobiles extremely high breakdown voltage”, which means it takes only a tiny amount of to withstand very high voltages. Typically, in silicon-based power electronics, if you want to operate at high voltage, you need to make it bigger; but with you don’t, told Quantum. Previously, users of typically tried to gum on top of silicon, but says this is not a good idea for several technical reasons technology makes an all device possible. the challenge, was to design an “architecture that is cost-effective, high in performance and easily says The company uses a leased fab in Syracuse, New York, to make the semiconductors, while the design and worldwide marketing is done out of Bengaluru. India is a big market. Ramanathan says the company expects to get customers from LED, electric vehicles and data centre segments. Another round of fund-raise has been indicated.
Previously, users of typically tried to gum on top of silicon, but Ramanathan says this is not a good idea for several technical reasons. proprietary technology makes an all device possible. The and the challenge, was to design an “architecture that is cost-effective, high in performance and easily says Ramanathan. The company uses a leased fab in Syracuse, New York, to make the semiconductors, while the design and worldwide marketing is done out of Bengaluru. India is a big market. Ramanathan says the company expects to get customers from
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