Rising voltages and rack power levels in AI data centers have created a critical need for new approaches to circuit protection, as traditional mechanical breakers fall short. Power Integrations and Ideal Power have collaborated to develop an 800 V DC solid-state circuit breaker prototype and reference design to address these safety and efficiency challenges in next-generation AI infrastructure.
Overview of the 800 V DC Solid-State Circuit Breaker Collaboration
On October 16, 2026, Power Integrations and Ideal Power announced a strategic collaboration to develop a solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) tailored for the rigorous demands of modern AI data centers. Power Integrations, a recognized supplier of high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, has partnered with Ideal Power, the developer of the B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor power switch. Together, they are delivering an SSCB solution designed to provide fast, efficient, and always-on protection. The companies have successfully demonstrated a working prototype and are actively developing a comprehensive reference design to scale with the industry's transition to 800 VDC architectures.
Technical Architecture and Component Integration
The core of this innovative architecture lies in the seamless integration of Power Integrations' 1700 V InnoMux-2 power conversion ICs with Ideal Power's B-TRAN switches. This combination yields a self-powered SSCB featuring integrated control and rapid fault response capabilities. The InnoMux-2 IC, which utilizes advanced 1700 V PowiGaN technology, operates directly from an 800 VDC bus with a significant safety margin. Its primary function is to convert the 800 V input into isolated power required for gate-drive mechanisms, control electronics, sensing, and auxiliary circuitry.
The InnoMux-2 IC provides several key advantages in this application:
- Operates directly from an 800 VDC bus with a significant safety margin using 1700 V PowiGaN technology.
- Provides multiple independently regulated outputs, replacing conventional architectures that use one isolated PSU followed by multiple DC-DC converters.
- Converts 800 V into isolated power for gate-drive, control electronics, sensing, and auxiliary circuitry.
Overcoming the Limitations of Traditional Circuit Protection
The development of this SSCB addresses critical vulnerabilities inherent in legacy circuit protection methods. As rack power levels and voltages escalate, traditional mechanical circuit breakers have proven inadequate; they are simply too slow to protect the highly sensitive equipment housed within modern AI racks. Conversely, existing electronic breakers introduce unacceptable power losses, which directly degrade overall system efficiency. Furthermore, previous semiconductor-based breakers faced a significant hurdle: they required power from the 800 V bus itself, complicating the design. The newly developed architecture circumvents these issues by offering ultra-fast fault interruption without the high power loss that historically disqualified earlier semiconductor-based alternatives.
Market Context: The Shift to 800 VDC in AI Data Centers
The push for this advanced protection technology is deeply rooted in the evolving landscape of AI data center infrastructure. The exponential growth in artificial intelligence workloads has driven a corresponding surge in rack power densities. To manage these immense power levels efficiently, the industry is rapidly migrating toward 800 VDC power architectures. This transition fundamentally alters the electrical environment, creating an urgent need for new approaches to circuit protection, power conversion, and system-level control. The 800 VDC standard is becoming essential for minimizing distribution losses and maximizing the computational throughput of next-generation AI facilities.
Industry Impact and Strategic Implications
Industry leaders emphasize that this collaboration represents a pivotal step forward in power management. Chris Jacobs, senior vice president of marketing and product strategy at Power Integrations, noted that the migration to 800 VDC requires the industry to address novel challenges in power conversion and protection. He highlighted that combining the 1700 V InnoMux-2 IC with Ideal Power's bidirectional solid-state circuit protection enables intelligent architectures that significantly improve efficiency, resiliency, and scalability.
David Somo, CEO of Ideal Power, echoed the necessity of this advancement, stating that high efficiency and ultra-fast fault interruption are non-negotiable for the migration to 800 VDC AI data centers and broader energy infrastructure. Somo pointed out that Power Integrations provides a unique combination of 1700 V GaN capability, multiple independently regulated outputs, and a compact solution footprint. These attributes are perfectly suited to meet the demanding power efficiency requirements and strict mechanical constraints of the 800 VDC solid-state circuit breaker architecture.
Future Outlook for Next-Generation AI Infrastructure
With a working prototype already demonstrated and a reference design currently in development, the collaboration between Power Integrations and Ideal Power is poised to set a new standard for circuit protection in high-voltage environments. The successful deployment of this self-powered, highly integrated SSCB will be instrumental in safeguarding the massive investments being made in AI computing hardware. As data centers continue to scale and adopt 800 VDC architectures, the availability of such advanced, low-loss, and ultra-fast protection mechanisms will be critical in ensuring the continuous, safe, and efficient operation of the world's most advanced computational infrastructure.