Infineon Technologies will supply silicon carbide (SiC) power devices to Eaton for use in the power management company's medium-voltage solid-state transformer (MVSST) 2.0 platform. The German semiconductor manufacturer and Eaton announced the collaboration in a joint statement, targeting 800VDC data center power distribution architectures.

The goal is to increase the efficiency and reliability of the power conversion required to connect AI data centers to the electrical grid. The partnership addresses a structural problem in conventional facility design.

Traditional data center power setups draw alternating current from the grid and pass it through a series of conversion processes before direct current reaches the server and its components. Each conversion step introduces losses, making the chain inefficient as a whole.

Rack power densities compound the problem. Operators expect 1MW racks in the near future, and those densities force a redesign of in-facility power architecture. Rack densities at that level require a shift from AC to DC distribution, and 800VDC has emerged as the distribution class for transporting power to high-density AI racks.

Solid-state transformers support this transition by integrating diverse power sources and loads while making conversion more efficient. According to Eaton, its MVSST 2.0 platform reduces conversion stages compared with conventional architectures, delivering improved efficiency, power density, and deployment flexibility.

Infineon's SiC devices will push the efficiency of the MVSST platform further. Silicon carbide is a synthetically produced crystalline compound of silicon and carbon. For power applications, the material offers several advantages over conventional silicon: better thermal conductivity, higher switching speeds, and lower dissipation. Those properties make it particularly suitable for manufacturing high-voltage power devices.

"As energy demand from AI data centers and industrial applications continues to grow, the demand for efficient, reliable, and sustainable power conversion is increasing," said Andreas Weisl, EVP and chief sales officer of industrial & infrastructure at Infineon. "By joining forces with Eaton, we aim to advance solid-state transformer technology and contribute to the development of a more scalable, efficient and sustainable infrastructure for powering the AI data centers of the future."

David Zheng, VP of R&D for power quality in APAC at Eaton, framed the collaboration against rising performance requirements. "Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing requirements for power efficiency, system reliability and scalability in AI data centers, our goal is to advance the development and adoption of SST technology," Zheng said. "Thus, we aim to create greater value for data center and power grid operators as well as the renewable energy sector. Infineon's advanced SiC technology is helping us accelerate the deployment of these next-generation power architectures."

The two companies also outlined the next step in the roadmap. They plan to explore next-generation solid-state transformer platforms based on 2.3kV and 3.3kV SiC power modules. These modules will support higher system voltages, improving efficiency and reliability in forthcoming AI data centers, grid modernization, and renewable energy applications.