Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices now offer strong performance for high-efficiency, high-temperature, and compact applications, and the development of materials such as gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) and diamond is progressing as well. Even with these advances, many systems continue to rely on silicon power technologies, particularly Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs).This article explains why IGBTs remain widely adopted. It covers cost and supply considerations, the value of long-established reliability data, and the types of applications where wide-bandgap benefits offer limited system-level benefits. It also outlines the ongoing improvements that are extending IGBT performance.<h1>High price-performance ratio and supply stability are valued</h1>Currently, the level of attention on power devices is at an all-time high. The primary reason is likely the emergence of next-generation power devices like SiC and GaN power devices. Furthermore, research and development on subsequent-generation power devices such as Ga₂O₃ and diamond power devices is advancing, and the growing anticipation surrounding their practical application is another factor driving this heightened interest.However, the market introduction of next-generation and next-next-generation power devices does not mean electronic equipment design engineers will universally adopt them. They will simply make a rational choice of the power device that maximizes the value of the target application. If they determine that using existing Silicon (Si) power devices maximizes application value, they will continue using Si power Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) and IGBTs.In fact, there are quite a few applications where this judgment leads to the continued use of IGBTs. According to ROHM, a global semiconductor giant, "Interest in IGBTs is rapidly increasing not only in Japan but also overseas." This surge stems from growing demand for IGBTs since around 2021 in industrial equipment, motor drive systems, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles (HEVs), and solar power inverters. ROHM reports increased inquiries from manufacturers targeting these applications, with sales volumes steadily rising.Semiconductor analyst Satoshi Oyama of Grossberg shares this view. He states, "While the SiC power MOSFET and GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) markets will expand going forward, the IGBT market size will not shrink. The IGBT market is expected to maintain relatively high growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10% even after 2025."<h1>The optimal power device isn't determined solely by superior electrical characteristics</h1>So, which characteristics of IGBTs do electronic design engineers value most when deciding to incorporate them into their applications?Regarding electrical characteristics, rival SiC power MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs outperform IGBTs in many aspects (Table 1 and Table 2). Specifically, these include lower conduction losses and switching losses, the ability to operate at high speeds (enabling higher switching frequencies), and the capability to operate at high temperatures. Therefore, incorporating them into an application offers benefits such as extended battery runtime, reduced battery capacity requirements, smaller and lighter power circuits, and lower heat generation. These advantages are particularly valuable in mobility applications. Consequently, SiC power MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs are increasingly being adopted, primarily in applications like traction inverters and DC-DC converters for EVs.Table 1: On-resistance per area trend<div id="isPasted"><table><tbody><tr><td>Voltage Rating Range</td><td>Si MOSFET</td><td>SiC MOSFET</td><td>IGBT</td></tr><tr><td>Low Voltage (&lt;200V)</td><td>🔴 Lowest</td><td>🟡Slightly higher</td><td>🟢 High</td></tr><tr><td>Medium Voltage Rating (600–1200V)</td><td>🟠 Increasing</td><td>🔴 Lowest</td><td>🟡 Fair</td></tr><tr><td>High voltage resistance (&gt;3kV)</td><td>🔴 Not possible(Large area, impractical)</td><td>🟠Technically feasible, but RDS(on) increases</td><td>🟢 Lowest</td></tr></tbody></table></div><ul><li>Low voltage: Si MOSFET is optimal. High speed and low loss.</li><li>Medium voltage: SiC MOSFET is optimal. Low loss even at high frequencies, good area efficiency.</li><li>High voltage rating: IGBTs are advantageous. Lower on-resistance than SiC and higher chip area efficiency.</li></ul>Table 2: Performance Comparison of IGBT and SiC Power MOSFET<div><table><tbody><tr><td>Parameter</td><td>IGBT</td><td>SiC Power MOSFET</td></tr><tr><td>Adoption Status</td><td>Used in traction inverters for industrial equipment and HEVs</td><td>Used in traction inverters for EVs and certain industrial equipment requiring high efficiency</td></tr><tr><td>Voltage Rating Range</td><td>Medium to high voltage (600V to 6.5kV)</td><td>Medium voltage rating (600V to 3.3kV)</td></tr><tr><td>Switching Frequency</td><td>Low to medium frequency (several Hz to 20kHz)</td><td>Medium to high frequency (10k to 50kHz, 50kHz and above also possible)</td></tr><tr><td>Conduction Loss</td><td>Lowest in the high voltage range of 1200V and above</td><td>Lowest (in the voltage rating range of 1200V and below)</td></tr><tr><td>Switching Loss</td><td>Medium to high (Usually within an acceptable range due to low switching frequencies)</td><td>Lower (losses remain low even at high switching frequencies)</td></tr><tr><td>Reliability and track record</td><td>Long-term track record in automotive and industrial equipment</td><td>Relatively new technology with limited long-term reliability data</td></tr><tr><td>Cost</td><td>Low</td><td>Expensive</td></tr><tr><td>Design Difficulty</td><td>Numerous existing design examples available; simple gate drive</td><td>Requires a design optimized for high switching frequencies (adjustment of gate drive circuits and protection circuits is essential)</td></tr><tr><td>Optimal Applications</td><td>Industrial inverters, HEV traction inverters, high-voltage DC-DC converters, UPS</td><td>EV traction inverters, medium-voltage DC-DC converters requiring high efficiency</td></tr></tbody></table></div>However, viewed from another angle, applications where these benefits are difficult to realize have no compelling reason to adopt SiC power MOSFETs or GaN HEMTs. Specifically, these are applications where miniaturization and weight reduction are not critical priorities. Representative examples include industrial equipment and motor drive systems. For these applications, achieving miniaturization and weight reduction through SiC power MOSFETs or GaN HEMTs does not translate into significant added value that substantially impacts sales. Therefore, it is common for designers not to justify the cost increase associated with adopting SiC power MOSFETs or GaN HEMTs. In other words, electronic equipment design engineers are choosing IGBTs based on their high price-to-performance ratio (cost performance).Beyond this, there are "reasons for adopting IGBTs" that cannot be defined solely by electrical performance. For example, IGBTs offer significantly higher supply stability compared to SiC power MOSFETs or GaN HEMTs. Additionally, with approximately 40 years since their practical implementation, IGBTs have extensive reliability data and a wealth of accumulated know-how regarding their usage. In practice, electronic equipment design engineers evaluate and select power devices not solely based on electrical characteristics, but comprehensively considering these factors as well. Consequently, even as new power devices emerge, IGBTs continue to be adopted in certain applications.<h1>IGBTs are still evolving</h1>Moreover, the IGBT is by no means a power device of the past. It is still evolving. In other words, there is significant room for further performance improvement.IGBT performance has improved through a series of device and process-level improvements. Examples include adopting new device structures like "non-punch-through" and "field-stop," thinning Si wafers, and miniaturizing (narrowing the pitch of) trench gates. As a result, they have achieved reductions in collector-emitter saturation voltage (VCE(Sat)), increased current handling capability, improved switching frequency (reducing switching losses), and increased short-circuit withstand capability.However, there is still room for improvement in thinning silicon wafers and narrowing the pitch of trench gates. Furthermore, according to Mr. Yuji Ishimatsu, Development Manager at ROHM, "There is still potential to enhance IGBT performance. For products launched after 2026, the device structure itself is likely to undergo a significant transformation. We will progressively incorporate these technological developments into our products."Moving forward, it is highly probable that IGBT products will be introduced to the market that maintain advantages such as "relatively low cost," "high reliability," and "high usability" while offering improved performance.Further technological advancements are also anticipated for power modules incorporating multiple IGBTs. Currently, ROHM has commercialized the TRCDRIVE packTM, a power module featuring high current density and excellent heat dissipation characteristics (Figure 1). The power devices currently employed are the company's fourth-generation SiC power MOSFETs. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1765004846941-image3.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="rohm-sic-trcdrive-advantage" />Fig. 1 Power Module TRCDRIVE pack™ This molded-type power module achieves thermal characteristics equivalent to competing products through single-sided heat dissipation despite its compact size. Currently, a 2-in-1 type incorporating two of ROHM's 4th-generation SiC power MOSFETs is available.This power module features two major characteristics. First, its optimized internal layout minimizes inductance, reducing switching losses. Second, it achieves thermal performance equivalent to competing products despite its compact size, using single-sided heat dissipation.The implementation methods are as follows: The interface between the chip (power device) and the lead frame inside the module employs silver (Ag) sintering technology, which bonds at high temperature and pressure. This enhances both the reliability of the bond and the power density.  ROHM intends to apply this technology to IGBTs in the near futureIn addition, at the interface between the module and the external heat sink, a low-temperature bonding technology using Liquid Metal Embedded Elastomer (LMEE), jointly developed with Arieca Corporation, was established. This technology achieves thermal resistance comparable to Ag sintering bonding, but at lower temperatures and pressures. Consequently, it enhances heat dissipation efficiency while maximizing the module's electrical performance.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1765004857090-image1.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="liquid-metal-embedded-elastomer-thermal-interface-igbt-rohm-arieca" />Fig. 2: Liquid Metal Embedded Elastomer (LMEE) is a thermal interface material developed by U.S.-based Arieca. Characterized by its low thermal resistance, it enhances thermal performance when applied to power modules.<h1>A Stable Option in Evolving Power Electronics</h1>Wide-bandgap devices are expanding the options available to power designers, but IGBTs continue to offer a reliable and cost-efficient choice in many systems. Their mature supply chain, established reliability, and ongoing technical improvements ensure they remain a practical solution where the advantages of SiC or GaN provide limited added value.

Image generated using Google Gemini 3 Pro

Conventional power electronic devices continue to evolve and remain widely used despite the rise of wide-bandgap technologies. Their strong cost-performance, supply, and proven reliability make them practical choices for applications where miniaturization or weight reduction dont add much value.

Why IGBTs Remain Relevant in the Era of SiC and GaN Power Devices?

Every great connected product starts with efficient power management. Whether designing wearables or medical sensors, engineers constantly balance tradeoffs between energy use, battery size, and device functionality. Nordic Semiconductor has long been a leader in low-power wireless design, building the radios and SoCs that make these devices practical and energy-efficient. Now, we’re applying that same philosophy to power control itself.At CES, we’ll be introducing a new Power Management IC (PMIC) that extends our reputation for energy efficiency into smarter battery behavior and startup control. We’re tackling the longstanding challenge of shipping battery-powered products that remain sealed, dormant, and safe until their very first use. The live demonstration at CES will show our solution in action and how our patented PMIC function reimagines the moment when a device first wakes from ship mode.<h2>Challenges Shipping Battery-Powered Devices</h2>For engineers building compact, battery-integrated electronics, preparing a product for shipment is often more complicated than powering it up. OEMs normally ship devices in a deactivated state to prevent the battery from draining before use. The traditional approach relies on physical pull-tabs (i.e., small strips of plastic placed between a coin cell and its terminal) or shipping the battery separately for later installation. Both methods work, but they’re far from ideal.  Mechanical pull-tabs create constraints around sealing and assembly. In hermetically sealed medical devices or wearables, introducing a removable part can compromise enclosure integrity. Similarly, shipping batteries separately forces users or factory technicians to perform extra assembly steps that increase handling time and error risk.These workarounds stand in the way of truly seamless manufacturing and activation. As devices become smaller, more integrated, and increasingly buttonless, the industry needs a smarter, more automated solution to shipping-state power control.<h2>A Patented Function That Changes the Game</h2>At Nordic, we designed our new PMIC with a patented function that eliminates mechanical activation altogether. The IC lets engineers ship fully assembled, sealed products with the battery already connected, without any significant current drain during storage. In this state, known as ship mode, the PMIC maintains an internal electronic disconnect between the battery and most of the system’s circuitry. The PMIC reduces the current in ship mode to around 65 nA.In contrast to conventional pull-tab systems or button-triggered wake-up methods, the PMIC performs this transition entirely in silicon. Devices don’t require external switches, relays, or mechanical intervention. Once activated, the PMIC automatically reestablishes the normal power path, and the device powers up as if it were freshly unboxed.Our approach makes everything easier across the entire supply chain. Manufacturers can ship devices with batteries already installed, which streamlines the assembly process. Warehouses don't have to worry about batteries slowly draining while products sit in storage. And when customers open the box, everything just works with no setup hassles.<h2>Inside the PMIC</h2>From a system design perspective, the PMIC acts as both a power distribution hub and a supervisory controller. It coordinates power rails, monitors battery state, and controls transitions between modes so that developers can experiment with new product architectures and embed energy awareness at every level.Technically, Nordic engineered the PMIC with advanced rail control and on-die logic for dynamic power management across multiple domains. We developed an internal gating architecture that governs each supply rail independently, ensuring that only essential circuits remain biased in ship mode while all others are electrically isolated. Ultra-low leakage paths and precision control logic help the architecture to maintain stability at nanoamp-level quiescent currents.And, with a flexible configuration, the PMIC supports a range of Nordic SoCs, including those in the nRF54 and nRF52 series, as well as the forthcoming nRF91 family for cellular and DECT NR+ applications. With broad compatibility, developers can unify their battery management and wireless design strategies within Nordic’s ecosystem.<h2>The Demo at CES</h2>Our CES demonstration brings this concept to life.The setup features a circuit board incorporating Nordic’s nPM2100 PMIC and nRF54L15 SoC enclosed within a clear plastic shell. On the surface of the enclosure are four electrodes: two connect to Nordic’s Power Profiler Kit 2 (PPK2) for current measurement, while the other two interface with a strip of conductive tape.When the conductive tape bridges the electrodes, the system enters ship mode and draws an imperceptible current. Removing the tape breaks the connection, and the PMIC instantly interprets the event as a wake trigger. The circuit reactivates, transitioning cleanly to regular operation.This “break-to-wake” effect is the crux of the PMIC’s patented intelligence. It allows the device to behave as though it were physically disconnected from the battery through electronic control rather than mechanical separation. As a result, engineers have a powerful new capability for designing compact, sealed products. They can now ship buttonless or hermetically sealed devices with preinstalled batteries, confident that they will remain inert and safe throughout transport and storage.<h2>Applications and Use Cases</h2>In practical implementations, the concept can take several forms. A sticker with conductive adhesive can cover two electrodes that sit flush with the device housing, maintaining the ship-mode connection until the user removes the sticker to activate the product. Alternatively, a thin exposed metal filament or string could complete the connection during packaging and break automatically when the product is lifted out of its tray or box. Both methods use the PMIC’s break-detection capability to trigger a clean, controlled wake event that requires no buttons, switches, or mechanical pull-tabs.This technology will impact many industries. In medical wearables and disposable health patches, regulations require hermetic sealing for patient safety and hygiene. And, these devices really only require activation once they contact skin or when users remove the adhesive. Nordic’s PMIC makes that possible by electronically preserving battery charge until the moment of use.Wearable sensors and consumer trackers necessitate long shelf life and immediate activation. With the PMIC guaranteeing dormancy during transit, OEMs can ship devices worldwide that arrive fully assembled and ready for use. Similarly, in consumer electronics such as smart trackers or earbuds, the feature lets designers improve packaging aesthetics and simplify user experience by replacing pull-tabs with an invisible electronic switch.Regardless of application, engineers gain simplified manufacturing and a cleaner product architecture, while users enjoy reliable, instant activation. <h2>Reimaging Low-Power Electronics</h2>Our new PMIC reimagines how engineers think about power management. By embedding intelligence at the earliest stage of a device’s lifecycle, designers can eliminate long-standing mechanical constraints and improve efficiency across design, logistics, and user experience. Now, engineers can start designing for power management before a product ever powers on. As part of Nordic's low-power ecosystem, the PMIC offers developers everything they need to build connected devices that are simpler to assemble, run longer on a single charge, and deliver smart functionality from day one.Want to learn more about the new PMIC solution? Check out our CES demo here. <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/Events/2026/CES-2026">Learn more about Nordic Semiconductor at CES 2026.</a>

Discover how the new PMIC by Nordic revolutionizes low power design with ultra low ship mode current, seamless activation, and smarter battery management for next generation connected devices.

Reimagine Power Management with Nordic at CES

Electronics broadly are moving toward higher bandwidth, lower latency, and denser system integration. High-speed interconnects such as PCIe Gen 5/6, multi-lane Ethernet, and AI accelerators now sit at the center of servers and compute platforms. Alongside these advances, power delivery networks have become more sophisticated, with Integrated Voltage Regulators (IVRs) switching anywhere from 2 MHz to 100 MHz to optimize efficiency and transient response.While these changes deliver performance benefits, they also amplify electromagnetic interference (EMI) challenges. As dies, power stages, and interconnects are packed into increasingly compact footprints, the EMI margin available to designers shrinks. Power integrity and signal integrity are closely coupled, and even small increases in ripple or noise can degrade system-level compliance.The switch from discrete passives to co-packaged and embedded components means that inductors and ferrite beads are integral to the overall architecture. Namely, their selection directly impacts regulatory compliance, overall efficiency, and thermal headroom. As such, engineers now face the task of choosing components that meet performance specifications and maintain EMI control without compromising form factor or power density.<h2>EMI Sources and Their Impact on System Design</h2>EMI in modern electronics stems from multiple sources, but power delivery noise and signal path coupling are arguably the two most prominent.Power delivery noise arises in DC/DC converters and IVRs, where high dI/dt transitions drive ripple into sensitive power rails. As switching frequencies climb toward tens of megahertz, the harmonic spectrum broadens and pushes more noise into bands where it can couple into critical signals.Signal path noise coupling is especially prominent in server motherboards. Devices like PCIe re-timers, Ethernet controllers, and switch ASICs operate close to emission compliance limits and rely on stable supply rails to maintain signal integrity. Without effective suppression, conducted EMI from the power delivery network can migrate into these ICs, degrade link stability, and increase error rates.Generally speaking, EMI can manifest as either conducted interference, traveling through rails and interconnects, or radiated emissions, emanating from traces, packages, and cables. Both impact compliance and system function. For example, in GPU and AI accelerator subsystems, inadequate EMI control at the power entry point can result in corrupted data transfer and reduced throughput.Complicating matters further, regulatory compliance pressures continue to increase. Engineers must deliver systems that pass tight EMI testing without sacrificing board density or introducing excessive power losses. This demands a component-level strategy where inductors and beads are selected based on both electrical and mechanical performance.<h2>Ultra-Thin Inductors for High-Frequency IVRs</h2>As switching frequencies in IVRs approach 100 MHz, inductance requirements shift downward, and package constraints dictate smaller case sizes. Traditional wire-wound inductors cannot always scale to these requirements, leading to the adoption of thin-film inductors optimized for high-FSW applications.Mounting strategies are therefore instrumental to minimizing EMI. Ultra-thin inductors can be placed die-side, land-side, or embedded within the interposer, and these placements enhance current level transient speed by reducing loop area and parasitics. Murata’s ultra-thin solutions are available in footprints as small as 0402 (1.0 x 0.5 mm) and 0603 (1.6 x 0.8 mm), with single devices and array options for multi-phase regulator designs.Beyond size reduction, these inductors offer the benefit of a low-profile form factor that enables mechanical integration without increasing z-height in stacked-die or co-packaged environments. Placement flexibility also helps balance thermal hotspots, thereby improving overall reliability.Customization is another strong suit. Murata’s UTL series enables the tuning of inductance, DCR, and footprint to match the specific requirements of each package VR, ensuring that inductors integrate cohesively with both the electrical demands of the IVR and the mechanical limitations of the package. Ultimately, by reducing EMI at the source,  these inductors improve regulator efficiency, maintain compliance margins, and support the continued scaling of high-frequency IVRs.  <h2>Ferrite Beads as Power Rail Filters in High-Current Circuits</h2>Where inductors address EMI at the switching node, ferrite beads are essential in filtering noise on the power rails themselves. Their function is to present high impedance at noise frequencies while maintaining low DC resistance (DCR) to minimize voltage drop in high-current paths.The parameters of Murata’s ferrite bead families illustrate this balance.<ul><li>The BLM18SP series (0603) achieves current ratings of up to 3.7 A at 85 °C, with a DCR as low as 0.022 Ω, while offering impedance values of up to 1000 Ω at 100 MHz.</li><li>The BLM21SP series (0805) supports up to 2.8 A at 85 °C with a maximum DCR of 0.04 Ω</li><li>For extreme high-current environments, the BLM31SN and BLE32 series extend this performance.</li><li>The BLE32SN120 ferrite bead supports 20 A at 85 °C with a DCR of 0.0006 Ω, providing EMI suppression without significant IR drop.</li></ul>These specifications directly translate into system-level benefits. On server motherboards, PCIe re-timer ICs often require rail filtering to prevent supply noise from coupling into signal paths. Similarly, beads can isolate noise between CPU, NIC, and GPU rails without affecting transient response.Performance stability under load is also vital. The BLE32SN120 maintains an impedance of over 25 Ω even at a DC bias of 5 A to guarantee consistent attenuation across varying load conditions. For engineers, this stability reduces the risk of noise leakage under real-world operating currents.The trade-offs lie in bead size and impedance selection. Higher impedance improves noise attenuation but can increase insertion loss, while lower DCR reduces voltage drop at the expense of filtering effectiveness. Murata’s broad portfolio provides flexibility to balance these trade-offs according to system needs.<h2>Matching Component Architecture to EMI Profiles</h2>EMI suppression is not achieved by a single component but through a matched architecture of inductors and beads. Each has a distinct purpose in addressing different points of noise generation and coupling.For high-Fsw IVRs, ultra-thin inductors mounted close to the load reduce switching loop parasitics and enhance current level transient speed. Meanwhile, ferrite beads placed between the regulator output and load isolate sensitive devices from conducted noise on shared rails.Co-design considerations are equally important. Embedded inductors free surface board space, allowing beads to be placed closer to load pins where they are most effective. Low-DCR beads, such as those in the BLE32 series, prevent excessive IR drop in multi-rail, high-current environments typical of data center and networking hardware.A practical example is a server NIC. Here, a land-side UTL inductor can serve the VRM, while a BLM31SN bead filters the supply rail feeding the NIC. This pairing offers a path toward EMI compliance without requiring oversized passives that consume board space and minimize efficiency.<h2>Designing for Future EMI Requirements</h2>The next generation of electronics will push EMI challenges even further. Switching currents are rising, frequencies are accelerating, and packaging density continues to increase. These shifts heighten the risk of EMI coupling across rails, traces, and interconnects.Mitigation strategies must therefore start early. Selecting thin-film inductors and high-current beads during initial design phases reduces the likelihood of compliance failures that can trigger costly redesigns. Customization is central to this approach. By tailoring parameters such as inductance, impedance, and DCR, engineers can align component behavior with changing rail specifications and transient response needs.Collaboration between system designers and component suppliers will also be necessary. Predictive EMI mitigation, where solutions are co-optimized in advance of full integration, means that compliance can be achieved without compromising performance or density. Such a proactive approach is tangential to industry trends toward co-packaging and heterogeneous integration, where component choices directly shape system outcomes.<h2>Conclusion</h2>With system performance hinging on both compliance and efficiency, engineers require components that address noise at multiple levels.By providing engineers with a broad portfolio of customizable inductors and beads, Murata unlocks designs that meet today’s standards and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges. For systems ranging from servers to AI accelerators, these components make balancing EMI, efficiency, and mechanical integration a reality.<a href="https://pim.murata.com/en-us/pim/details/?productCategoryId=ferriteBeadInductortypefilter&amp;partNum=BLE32SN120SN1%23" target="_blank">Read more at Murata</a>.

Explore how ultra-thin inductors and high-current ferrite beads deliver superior EMI mitigation, power efficiency, and reliability in high-density, high-frequency electronic designs.

EMI Mitigation in High-Density Designs with Ultra-Thin Inductors and High-Current Ferrite Beads

A technical deep dive into the NMOS symbol, working, and device behavior, contribution in analog design and advanced NMOS technologies in the modern age.

NMOS Symbol: Comprehensive Guide to N Channel MOSFET Symbols, Operation and Applications

<h2 id="isPasted">Introduction</h2>Power electronics is evolving rapidly, with increasing demand for smarter, more efficient, and scalable power supply solutions. While digital control promises these capabilities, its adoption has been slow in the small-to-medium power range (50 W to 1 kW) due to the cost and power demands of conventional microcontrollers. As a result, analog control continues to dominate this segment, offering low cost and low power consumption but limited functionality.This article explores how ROHM’s Logic and Control Architecture (LogiCoA™) architecture addresses this long-standing challenge. By combining analog efficiency with digital flexibility, LogiCoA™ makes advanced digital control practical in the volume zone of industrial equipment. The sections that follow explain the limitations of existing solutions, introduce the hybrid approach behind LogiCoA™, and highlight the new possibilities it creates for cost, performance, and design flexibility.<h2>Challenges of Applying Digital Control to 50 W-1 kW Power Converters</h2>Microcontrollers for digitally controlled power supplies are not a novel concept - many semiconductor manufacturers have long offered solutions in this space, and they’re already integrated into a wide range of applications. What sets LogiCoA™ apart is its innovative approach to overcoming persistent limitations that conventional microcontrollers had yet to resolve.The issue lies in the fact that existing digital control microcontrollers are expensive and consume significant power. Consequently, they are primarily applicable to high-power areas in industrial equipment power systems, where the output exceeds 1kW. However, they are challenging to utilize in the small-to-medium power range of approximately 50 to 1kW, which represents the volume zone.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1756831854121-image4.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="power-control-industrial-segment" />Fig. 1: The segmentation of power control methods in industrial equipment power systems.Even in low to medium power range power systems, there is a strong demand to leverage the advanced functionalities unique to digital control power supplies. However, due to cost and power consumption issues, the adoption of digital control power supplies remains hesitant.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1756831881382-image3.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="analog-vs-digital-control-power-converters" />Fig. 2: Analog control relies on individual parts with low cost and power consumption but limited functionality, while digital control requires a high-speed microcontroller, leading to higher cost and power consumption despite enabling advanced functions.Table 1: Features of analog-controlled power supplies vs. digitally controlled power supplies.<div id="isPasted"><table><tbody><tr><td>Parameter</td><td>Analog Control</td><td>Digital Control</td></tr><tr><td>Cost</td><td>Excellent - No need for CPU </td><td>Neutral - Requires high-speed CPU/DSP (higher cost)</td></tr><tr><td>Power Consumption</td><td>Excellent - Low (Icc = 3mA to 5mA)</td><td>Negative - High (Icc = 100mA to 150mA)</td></tr><tr><td>Functions</td><td>Negative - Low functionality, cannot support complex functions</td><td>Excellent - Can add advanced features like calibration and log acquisition</td></tr></tbody></table></div><h2 id="isPasted">Revamping the Configuration of the PWM Control Loop </h2>The cost and power consumption issues that existing microcontrollers for digitally controlled power supplies faced were resolved by LogiCoA™ through the hybrid of analog and digital technologies. Generally, digitally controlled power supplies utilize A-D converters and CPU/DSPs to construct PWM control loops. To minimize the delay time within these control loops, high-speed A-D converters and high-performance CPU/DSPs are essential. However, this has been the main cause of high costs and significant power consumption. To address this, LogiCoA™ revamped the configuration of the PWM control loop. Instead of using high-speed A-D converters, it utilized external analog compensators, such as error amplifiers.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1756834321673-Logicoaarc.jpg" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" />Fig. 3: The configuration of power systems using LogiCoA™.The processing of PWM control is executed by an analog-digital PWM control circuit consisting of built-in comparators and timers. Analog signals input from the analog compensators are used as triggers for high-resolution timers, allowing the duty cycle of PWM signals to be controlled on each clock signal cycle without involving the CPU. Since control is initiated upon receiving signal input from the analog compensators, this method is referred to as "event-driven."The impact of revising the PWM control loop configuration has been tremendous. Compared to using existing microcontrollers for digitally controlled power supplies, costs can be reduced to about one-third to one-fourth, and power consumption can drop to about one-thirtieth. This breakthrough has paved the way for applying digital control to power systems in the small-to-medium power range for industrial equipment.<h2>Equipped with logging and calibration functions</h2>While LogiCoA™ integrates a CPU on the IC, it takes a unique approach by excluding the CPU from the real-time PWM control loop calculations. Instead, the CPU operates in the background, handling tasks such as power supply startup and shutdown, input/output monitoring, current sensing, and managing external communications - based on user-defined software routines. This architecture improves efficiency and enables several advanced features that are characteristic of digitally controlled power supplies. The following sections highlight these distinctive capabilities:The first advantage is the ability to adapt to various power topologies through software modifications. Typically, analog-controlled power ICs only support a single topology, requiring power supply manufacturers to prepare numerous product variants, which increases the burden of inventory management. However, with LogiCoA™, a single device can accommodate multiple topologies, significantly reducing the challenges of inventory management.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1756831922564-image5.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="logicoa-mcu-data-logging" />Fig. 4: Analyzing log data collected from the LogiCoA™ MCU by a control PC makes it possible to monitor the operational status of both the application and power supply unit itself.Another key feature is the ability to finely adjust circuit elements using the calibration function. Circuit elements such as ICs, power devices, and transformers used in power systems often have variations in their characteristic values. As a result, circuit design must include sufficient margins relative to the ratings of each element. This leads to larger dimensions for circuit elements, higher voltage resistance requirements, and subsequently, larger and costlier power systems. By utilizing LogiCoA™’s calibration function, these variations can be fine-tuned - allowing for smaller margins and enabling the miniaturization and cost reduction of power systems.<h2>Real-time power control with ROHM’s RMOS</h2>The software side of LogiCoA™ is powered by ROHM’s proprietary real-time operating system, Real-time Micro Operating System (RMOS), which is provided free of charge. RMOS supports two “state transition control modules,” enabling simultaneous control of PFC circuits and DC-DC converters - or two DC-DC converters. To simplify development, sample code is available for various topologies, and operating parameters can be easily configured using an Excel-based tool. Local user support throughout Europe is handled by ROHM's Application and Technical Solution Center in Willich, near Düsseldorf, Germany. Additionally, a dedicated support division for LogiCoA™ in Japan is equipped to provide assistance. This ensures that users in Europe can adopt the technology with confidence.<h2>Conclusion</h2>LogiCoA™ represents a massive shift in digitally controlled power supply design. By offloading real-time PWM control to an analog-digital circuit and reserving CPU resources for background tasks, it achieves dramatic reductions in cost and power consumption without sacrificing functionality. Features such as topology reconfigurability, calibration, and log acquisition further enhance system performance while reducing design complexity and size.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1756831959118-image1.png" style="width:100%px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="logicoa-reference-board-ml62q2035" />Fig. 5: LogiCoA™ solutions include the core LogiCoA™ MCU along with other ROHM components, which vary by power supply topology.Together with ROHM’s RMOS operating system and dedicated global support, LogiCoA™ provides a practical path to digital control in the critical 50 W to 1 kW power range. This hybrid approach bridges the gap between analog and digital control, and sets a new standard for scalable, efficient, and intelligent power management.Explore <a href="https://www.rohm.com/support/logicoa" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ROHM’s LogiCoA™ solutions</a> and start designing today.＊LogiCoA™ is a trademark or registered trademark of ROHM Co., Ltd.This article was contributed to and edited by<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/ravi.rao" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Ravi Rao.</a>

Conventional microcontrollers make digital control impractical in 50 W-1 kW power supplies due to cost and power demands. ROHMs LogiCoA™ overcomes this with a hybrid, event-driven design that adds calibration, logging, and software flexibility for efficient, scalable power electronics solutions.

Hybrid Analog-Digital Control for 50 W-1 kW Power Converters by ROHM's LogiCoA™

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Configurable power supplies combine the flexibility of custom designs with the speed and cost-efficiency of modular systems. By enabling tailored voltage, current, and control features, they help engineers address evolving requirements across industrial and medical applications.

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