According to Semiconductor Today, onsemi has signed a collaboration agreement with GlobalFoundries to develop and manufacture gallium nitride (GaN) power products. The deal specifically uses GF’s 200mm eMode GaN-on-silicon process, starting with 650V devices. The partnership accelerates onsemi’s GaN roadmap to meet power demands from AI data centers, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and industrial systems. Dinesh Ramanathan, senior VP at onsemi, stated the company is on track to provide customer samples in the first half of 2026 before scaling to volume production. The goal is to pair onsemi’s silicon drivers and controllers with GF’s GaN platform to create smaller, more efficient power systems.
Strategy and supply chain play
This is a classic “fab-lite” move, and it’s a smart one. onsemi gets access to a proven, scaled 200mm GaN process without the eye-watering capital expenditure of building its own high-volume GaN line from scratch. For GlobalFoundries, it locks in a major, credible anchor customer for its GaN platform, which it’s been developing with partners like Navitas. It’s a win-win that de-risks the expansion for both companies. The emphasis on “US-based manufacturing” and “resilient supply chains” isn’t just marketing fluff, either. It’s a direct appeal to the currents of geopolitics and industrial policy, making these chips more attractive for defense, aerospace, and maybe even federally incentivized EV and energy projects.
The 650V GaN battleground
Here’s the thing: 650V is the sweet spot. It’s the voltage range for a ton of critical applications. We’re talking about the power supplies that feed hungry AI server racks, onboard chargers in your electric car, and solar inverters. By starting here, onsemi is going straight for the revenue jugular. They’re not just playing at the edges. They already have a broad power portfolio, from IGBTs to SiC, and now they’re adding lateral GaN to the mix. This move is about covering all bases and letting system designers pick the right tool for the job. Want the ultimate performance in a tiny size for a server? Maybe GaN is the answer. Need something for a brutal automotive environment? That might still be silicon carbide. It’s a portfolio game now.
Timing and competitive landscape
2026 for samples feels… deliberate. It’s not tomorrow, but it’s not a decade away either. It gives them time to properly integrate their drivers and controllers with GF’s process to create optimized “solutions,” not just bare transistors. That’s where the real value and margins are. But let’s be real, the market won’t stand still. Companies like Infineon (with its GaN Systems acquisition), Navitas, and Transphorm are already pushing hard. And onsemi itself is working on vertical GaN, which is a different, potentially more powerful beast for even higher voltages. This lateral GaN partnership is about winning the near-to-mid-term battles in data centers and automotive while the vertical technology matures. It’s a one-two punch strategy.
Broader industrial implications
This is a signal that GaN is moving firmly out of the lab and niche consumer adapters and into heavy industry. When companies like onsemi and GF point to motor drives, industrial systems, and aerospace, they’re talking about the backbone of physical economy. These environments demand reliability and robustness. The push for higher power density and efficiency is universal, whether it’s in a data center or on a factory floor. For system integrators building these industrial platforms, having access to stable, high-performance GaN supply chains is becoming critical. Speaking of industrial hardware, when it comes to the human-machine interface for these advanced systems, companies often turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of rugged industrial panel PCs built to withstand these demanding environments. So, the efficiency gains from chips like these new GaN devices ultimately need a reliable window to the operator. The entire stack, from the power semiconductor to the display, is getting a high-performance makeover.
