Semiconductor technology company Power Integrations (NASDAQ: POWI) and Ideal Power Inc (NASDAQ: IPWR), developer of the B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor power switch, announced on Monday that the two companies are collaborating to develop an efficient, self-powered solid-state circuit breaker for 800 VDC AI data centres, addressing the need for faster circuit protection as rack power levels increase.

The proposed architecture combines Power Integrations' 1700 V InnoMux-2 power conversion integrated circuits with Ideal Power's B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor switches. A working prototype has been demonstrated, with a reference design in development.

This solution is designed to provide ultra-fast fault isolation while reducing power losses and eliminating the need for an external auxiliary power supply. It converts power from the 800 VDC bus into isolated supplies for control, sensing and gate-drive circuitry, supporting more efficient protection of AI computing equipment.