Rutronik advances GaN-based power electronics with new RAK-GaN
With the new RAK-GaN application kit, Rutronik expands its solutions portfolio in the field of advanced power electronics. The compact evaluation platform enables customers to efficiently test, validate, and optimise GaN-based motor control and power conversion concepts. By combining powerful microcontroller technology with innovative GaN semiconductors, the RAK-GaN provides a practical development environment for applications where efficiency, power density, and system integration are key.
Gallium nitride HEMTs (GaN HEMTs) are considered a key technology for the miniaturisation and efficiency enhancement of power electronics. Thanks to their intrinsic material advantages—such as high electron mobility, low gate charge, and low parasitic capacitances—they enable significantly higher switching frequencies compared to silicon-based MOSFETs.
These properties result in substantially reduced switching losses, lower heat generation, and allow the use of smaller passive components such as inductors and capacitors. The outcome is more compact designs with higher power density and improved energy efficiency.
Although individual GaN components are still more expensive than conventional silicon MOSFETs, they offer clear economic advantages at the system level: reduced cooling requirements, lower material usage, and simplified system architectures often lead to lower total system costs.
The RAK-GaN has been specifically designed as a system platform for demanding power applications. At its core is the PSOC Control microcontroller family based on an Arm Cortex-M33, which is optimised for digital power control and motor control.
Features such as high-resolution PWM (below 100 ps), fast analog-to-digital converters (12 MSPS) with synchronous sampling, and integrated high-speed comparators (less than 10 ns) enable precise implementation of highly dynamic control algorithms. This is complemented by hardware accelerators such as CORDIC and a low-latency trigger architecture, ensuring deterministic control even at very high switching frequencies.
In combination with the integrated GaN HEMTs, this opens up new possibilities for high-frequency switching concepts. The kit supports both 48 V three-phase BLDC/PMSM motor drives and DC-DC buck converters. At the same time, integrated protection features such as inrush current protection, hardware-based overcurrent detection, and precise current sensing using advanced TMR sensors from Infineon ensure safe and robust system design.
With the RAK-GaN, Rutronik follows a consistent system-level approach. The kit integrates components from leading manufacturers within the Rutronik linecard and enables seamless integration into existing development environments. Extensive interfaces, flexible measurement points, and expansion options—including Arduino-compatible boards—facilitate rapid prototyping and design validation.
Broad application range in high-growth markets:
The Application Kit addresses a wide range of target markets where efficiency and power density are becoming increasingly important. These include in particular:
Industrial automation (e.g., servo drives, robotics, AGVs)
Renewable energy (solar inverters, energy storage systems, EV charging infrastructure)
E-mobility and 48 V systems
Server and telecommunications power supplies
Smart home and home appliances
