Miniaturized Power Systems: An Isep PhD Advances GaN Technology
22 July 2025
How can we generate more power in less space, while increasing speed and reliability? That’s the challenge taken on by Nataly Aracely Pozo Viera in a PhD thesis defended at Isep. By focusing on full integration using GaN technology, her research opens up new perspectives for power electronics, automotive systems, and renewable energy applications.
Cutting-Edge Research on Power Electronics Circuits
On July 4, 2025, Nataly Aracely Pozo Viera, a PhD candidate at Isep’s LISITE laboratory, defended an ambitious thesis on the design of Power System-on-Chip (PSoC) using enhancement-mode GaN transistors with p-GaN technology.
Her goal? To meet the growing demand for miniaturization and performance in power systems, while ensuring efficient and monolithic integration of critical functions.
An Innovative and Efficient GaN-Based Architecture
Nataly’s work has helped overcome several technological barriers through an original approach:
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New circuit designs compensating for the absence of P-type components
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Monolithic integration of power functions onto a single chip
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Results validated both in simulation and fabrication: 1 MHz, 4 kW, only 3 mm²!
These performances highlight the strong potential for industrial applications in strategic fields such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and embedded electronics.
An International Collaboration in the Service of Innovation
The thesis was co-supervised by Professor Lionel Trojman (Isep) and Professor Luis-Miguel Procel (Universidad San Francisco de Quito – USFQ), further reinforcing the international dimension of the project.
The jury, composed of renowned experts in microelectronics and GaN technology, praised the scientific quality and practical impact of the research:
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Dr. Herbert De Pauw – CMST, Ghent University & Imec
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Dr. Rüdiger Quay – Fraunhofer IAF, University of Freiburg
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Dr. Eliana Acurio – Escuela Politécnica Nacional
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Dr. Gérard Sou – GeePs, Sorbonne University
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Dr. Paul Procel – TU Delft (invited)
With this thesis defense, Isep reaffirms its position as a key contributor to advanced power electronics, directly aligned with today’s industrial challenges.
👏 Congratulations to Nataly Aracely Pozo Viera for this outstanding contribution to technological research—an excellent example of how engineering schools drive breakthrough innovation.
