Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) and Navitas Semiconductor (Nasdaq: NVTS) have jointly developed an 800V DC-to-6V DC reference design aimed at AI data center rack power applications.

The collaboration, announced from Torrance, California, and Chandler, Arizona, on October 5, 2026, is intended to accelerate the industry's shift toward 800V DC rack power architectures as AI data centers scale to support high-power GPU clusters.

According to the companies, the move to higher-voltage rack power is driven by the need to improve distribution efficiency, increase power density, and support next-generation server designs.

Partnership Targets OCP 800V DC Transition

The reference platform pairs Microchip's digital power control and security technologies with Navitas' GaNFast gallium nitride power devices, aligning with the Open Compute Project (OCP) 800V DC standard.

The solution is delivered with reference hardware, software, and design documentation, which the companies say helps reduce design risk, shorten development cycles and accelerate deployment of next-generation AI infrastructure.

Digital Control and Security at the Core

At the heart of the design are Microchip's dsPIC33AK Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) and the TA100 CryptoAuthentication security IC, working alongside Navitas' GaNFast FETs.

The dsPIC33AK provides deterministic digital power control for high-frequency, high-efficiency DC/DC conversion, while the TA100 establishes a hardware root of trust supporting authentication, secure boot and protected firmware updates.

The dsPIC33AK256MPS306 family is built on a 200 MHz 32-bit core with a double-precision floating-point unit, 78-pico-second high-resolution Pulse Width Modulators, and multiple 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters operating at up to 40 MSPS.

The devices include library support for the Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA) Suite 2.0, recommended post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, along with hardware-accelerated cryptographic functions for connected real-time control designs.

The TA100 CryptoAuthentication IC enables code authentication, including secure boot, Message Authentication Code (MAC) generation, trusted firmware updates, and multiple key management protocols, including Transport Layer Security (TLS), among other root-of-trust-based operations.

Microchip positions the device as allowing developers to establish a trusted foundation for system authentication and protection without building these capabilities from scratch.

GaN Power Stage Delivers High Efficiency and Density

The power delivery board (PDB) is built with 16 NV6034 GaNFast FETs, rated at 650 V and 17 milliohms, arranged in a stacked half-bridge topology on the primary side.

The devices come in a DFN8x8 dual-side-cooled package that Navitas says reduces thermal resistance, allowing higher continuous power operation while maintaining efficiency.

The PDB targets up to 96% peak efficiency at full load with a 1 MHz switching frequency, enabling a power density of 2,100 watts per cubic inch.

The board's ultra-low profile, approximately 20% thinner than a mobile phone, is designed for close integration with the GPU board, which the companies say maximizes transient performance and improves power distribution efficiency.

A key architectural feature is direct conversion from 800V DC to 6V DC, combining what would otherwise be two stages, 800V DC to 50V DC and 50V DC to 6V DC, into a single converter, delivering higher end-to-end efficiency.

Navitas describes a system-level approach intended to translate GaN technology advances into measurable improvements in efficiency, power density, transient performance, and total cost of ownership.

Executive Perspectives

"AI infrastructure optimization is driving one of the most significant power architecture transitions the data center industry has experienced in decades," said Joe Thomsen, corporate vice president of Microchip's digital signal controller business unit. "As the ecosystem moves toward higher-voltage rack power systems, developers need proven control and security to help reduce implementation risk."

On the Navitas side, Vipin Bothra, vice president of Global Solution Marketing, said that as AI infrastructure scales to support increasingly demanding computing platforms, the company's GaNFast technology serves as a critical enabler of higher power density, greater efficiency and improved system performance.

He added that combining Navitas' power semiconductor leadership with Microchip's digital control expertise accelerates delivery of advanced power solutions tailored to next-generation AI data center requirements.

Availability and Upcoming Showcase

The reference design will be showcased at the 2026 OCP Global Summit, taking place October 12–15, 2026, in San Jose, California. Attendees there can see how the design combines digital control, hardware-based security, and GaN power conversion to support 800V-to-6V DC/DC power architectures.

The platform is available now with a reference board, software, and documentation, giving developers resources to evaluate and accelerate deployment of 800V DC power conversion systems for AI data center applications.

The companies position the design as a foundation for developing high-voltage, high-power, compact rack power systems as the data center industry transitions to the OCP 800V DC standard.

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