Microchip announced a new series of silicon carbide (SiC) power modules, the "HV-D3 mSiC," on May 26, 2026. Rated at 3.3kV, the modules are positioned primarily for solid-state transformers (SSTs) in AI data centers and medium-voltage industrial power conversion.
Key Specifications
HV-D3 integrates multiple switches and diodes in a 62mm "D3" footprint and covers 100-300A in half-bridge and common-source configurations. The isolation rating is 6kV, and the package uses CTI 600 material and extended creepage distance to support high-voltage series operation. The substrate uses silicon nitride (Si3N4), which Microchip says combines high thermal conductivity, power cycling capability, and less aggressive cooling requirements. According to Microchip, the platform spans 700V to 3.3kV on a common architecture.
Series Device Count Cut in Half
The strongest selling point is efficiency in connecting to high-voltage grids. Microchip says that, for 13.8kV and 34.5kV grid connections, the module can reduce the number of devices required in series by roughly half compared with lower-voltage SiC alternatives. Fewer series stages directly simplify gate driving, voltage balancing circuits, and assembly count, affecting designers on both reliability and cost. The company describes the product as filling a 100-300A gap that had been underserved in the industrial market.
Background: AI Data Center Power Constraints
The launch reflects the growing constraint of power availability in AI data centers. Microchip argues that token generation capability in next-generation AI designs will be limited by power supply, and that adoption of solid-state transformers (SSTs) will accelerate as a mitigation measure. Compared with conventional low-frequency transformers, SSTs are expected to improve efficiency and reduce size, with 3.3kV-class SiC modules serving as a core device. Microchip introduced the XIFM plug-and-play mSiC gate driver for 3.3kV applications in February 2024, so this module expands its SST building blocks.
Implications for Management, Procurement, and Design
Medium-voltage SiC modules address an area that has often relied on series-connected lower-voltage devices. If the number of series stages can be halved, the component count and control complexity of power conversion systems fall, and procurement and maintenance burdens ease as well. At the test sample and early production stages, however, loss, thermal behavior, and supply readiness under real operating conditions remain prerequisites for procurement decisions. For design and sourcing teams evaluating medium-voltage SiC in AI data centers and grid-connected systems, this expands the set of available 3.3kV-class module options.