Infineon has expanded its CoolGaN BDS 40 V G3 bidirectional switch (BDS) family with two new devices, the IGK048B041S and IGK120B041S. The new additions reduce PCB footprint by up to 82 percent and cut component count in half. For engineers designing within the strict spatial constraints of modern smartphones, notebooks, and wearables, this is a significant and quantifiable step forward. Targeting compact consumer devices, the new devices give power system designers greater flexibility to optimise efficiency and streamline designs without sacrificing performance.
“As consumer devices continue to shrink while power demands grow, engineers face increasing pressure to deliver more from less. The new CoolGaN BDS devices directly address this challenge,” said Johannes Schoiswohl, GaN Business Line Head at Infineon. “Each device integrates the function of two back-to-back silicon MOSFETs into a single component, reducing component count by half and simplifying PCB layouts. Design teams can leverage existing driver layout, avoiding costly redesigns and accelerating time to market. The result is a leaner and more cost-effective power path.”
The BDS, like other GaN devices, is compatible with 5 V gate drive. Offered in WLCSP chip-scale packages measuring 2.1 x 2.1 mm² and 1.7 x 1.2 mm², the IGK048B041S and IGK120B041S are engineered for the tight spatial constraints of smartphones, notebooks and wearables. The larger GaN device achieves 4.2 mΩ RDD(on) while the smaller device delivers 9 mΩ RDD(on). The CoolGaN BDS devices further distinguish themselves through superior switching and leakage performance. Gate charge is up to approximately 40 percent lower than comparable competing devices. Lower gate charge translates directly to faster switching transitions, reduced switching losses, and improved system efficiency in fast-charging applications. Additionally, Drain-Drain Leakage current is more than 85 percent lower than competing solutions, underscoring the inherent leakage advantages of GaN technology. Together, these characteristics reduce thermal rise, supporting long-term reliability and helping manufacturers meet increasingly stringent safety requirements.
Unlike silicon MOSFETs, which rely on a body diode that can allow unintended current flow, the CoolGaN BDS devices allow bidirectional voltage and current blocking. This true bidirectional blocking capability is essential for applications such as USB overvoltage protection in smartphones and portable devices, where preventing unwanted reverse current is critical to protecting sensitive downstream components. The devices are equally well-suited to load switching and power multiplexing functions in multi-rail power architectures, where precise control of current direction across multiple supply rails is required.
With the addition of these two devices, the Infineon CoolGaN BDS 40 V G3 family now comprises three devices – the IGK048B041S, IGK120B041S, and the previously released IGK080B041S – addressing the full spectrum of mobile power switching requirements from compact wearables to high-performance notebooks.
