Infineon Shrinks Mobile Power Paths With CoolGaN BDS

Power switching circuitry in portable electronics has a habit of expanding once protection, rail selection, and reverse-current control all get added into the same design. Infineon is targeting that problem with two new additions to its CoolGaN BDS 40 V G3 family. The IGK048B041S and the IGK120B041S are bidirectional GaN switches designed to replace two back-to-back silicon MOSFETs with a single component, reducing PCB footprint and component count inside compact consumer devices.

Infineon says the devices can reduce board area by up to 82 percent while cutting the switching component count in half. The CoolGaN BDS family is aimed at smartphones, notebooks, wearables, and other portable systems where power-path circuitry competes for space with batteries, cameras, antennas, and thermal hardware. The devices are used for bidirectional power switching, including USB protection, load switching, and power multiplexing.

Replacing Back-To-Back Silicon MOSFETs

In many portable designs, engineers still rely on paired MOSFET arrangements when current has to be blocked in both directions. The new CoolGaN BDS devices combine that bidirectional switching behavior into a single GaN component instead. Both devices support 5 V gate drive compatibility, allowing them to fit into existing driver environments without major control-stage redesign. The IGK048B041S delivers 4.2 mΩ RDD(on), while the smaller IGK120B041S is specified at 9 mΩ. That gives designers a tradeoff between package size and conduction performance depending on where the device sits in the power path.

Compact WLCSP Packages For Portable Hardware

Infineon is supplying the devices in WLCSP packages measuring 2.1 mm × 2.1 mm and 1.7 mm × 1.2 mm. Those dimensions place the parts firmly in the compact portable category, particularly for products where protection and load-switching stages are squeezed around batteries, connectors, sensors, and RF circuitry. The single-device approach also reduces placement complexity compared with using two discrete MOSFETs for the same switching function.

Lower Gate Charge And Leakage Performance

The company says gate charge is up to roughly 40 percent lower than comparable competing devices. Lower gate charge reduces the energy required during switching transitions, helping reduce switching losses in fast-charging and high-frequency portable power designs. Infineon also states that drain-drain leakage current is more than 85 percent lower than competing solutions. Leakage behavior becomes increasingly important in battery-powered hardware that remains connected to supply rails for long periods, even while much of the system is inactive.

Unlike conventional silicon MOSFETs that rely on a body diode structure, the CoolGaN BDS devices support true bidirectional voltage and current blocking. That behavior is particularly useful in USB overvoltage protection and multi-rail power architectures where unwanted reverse current needs to be controlled carefully.

The IGK048B041S and IGK120B041S are available now through Infineon’s authorized distribution channels.

View the IGK048B041S datasheet View the IGK120B041S datasheet

Learn more and read the original announcement at www.infineon.com

Technology Overview

The CoolGaN BDS 40 V G3 family consists of bidirectional GaN switching devices designed for compact portable power systems. The IGK048B041S and IGK120B041S support 5 V gate drive operation and are supplied in WLCSP packages measuring 2.1 mm × 2.1 mm and 1.7 mm × 1.2 mm.

The two devices are specified with RDD(on) values of 4.2 mΩ and 9 mΩ respectively and are intended for USB protection, load switching, and power multiplexing functions in portable electronics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the CoolGaN BDS devices used for?

They are designed for bidirectional power switching in compact portable electronics, including USB overvoltage protection, load switching, and power multiplexing.

Why is bidirectional blocking useful in portable electronics?

Bidirectional blocking helps prevent unwanted reverse current flow across power rails, which is important in USB protection and multi-rail portable power architectures.

What package sizes are available for the new CoolGaN BDS devices?

The IGK048B041S uses a 2.1 mm × 2.1 mm WLCSP package, while the IGK120B041S is supplied in a smaller 1.7 mm × 1.2 mm WLCSP package.