Three Chinese Suppliers, Three Entry Points into AI Server Power
For designers evaluating Chinese components for AI server power supplies, the first task is to identify where each device sits in the power chain. A PFC controller, a GaN gate driver and a multiphase core-voltage controller address different problems, even when all are marketed for server power.
Recent material from Oriental Semiconductor, NOVOSENSE and JoulWatt makes those differences concrete. Oriental's late-August 2026 server-power white paper places digital controllers and drivers alongside its SGT MOSFETs. NOVOSENSE offers a dedicated driver that addresses GaN switching conditions. JoulWatt has multiphase controllers aimed closer to the processor itself.
The products and disclosures reviewed here date from June through September 2026. They show a broader set of design options, while also requiring care about which products have been announced, sampled or shipped in volume.
Figure 1. Generic power-conversion functions. Blue indicates the energy path, teal the control signals and orange the feedback path. This is not a customer's circuit; the controller and gate driver are not in series with the main power path.
Oriental Semiconductor adds control around its power devices
Hynetek's entry into Oriental Semiconductor's group gave the latter a basis for expanding its digital-power offering. Oriental's first-half 2026 report includes Hynetek's consolidated results for May and June. Recent manufacturer material shows how the products can fit together.
At the front end of an AC-input server supply, power factor correction, or PFC, shapes the input current. Hynetek's HP1013A, announced on July 27, is a digital two-phase interleaved PFC controller with integrated SiC drive circuitry. In an appropriate design, integrating these functions can reduce the number of external driver ICs and interconnections. The power devices must still match the controller's drive conditions.
For intermediate bus conversion, Oriental's late-August white paper lists the OSU1000A digital controller, OSU3010 and OSU3000 drivers, and SGT MOSFETs in an IBC reference circuit. It gives engineers a concrete arrangement in which to examine the controller, gate drive and power stage together.
This changes the evaluation from a single MOSFET to the interaction between several devices. Drive losses, switching timing and board layout can be considered within the same development exercise. A reference circuit supplies a starting point; final efficiency still depends on topology, load and thermal conditions.
Figure 2. English editorial rendering of the product information published by Hynetek on July 27, 2026. Efficiency and dimensions apply to the stated reference design. The HP1000A shown here must not be treated as identical to OSU1000A on the basis of this material.
NOVOSENSE addresses the gate-drive problem
NOVOSENSE's NSD2123, introduced on June 29, illustrates the role of a dedicated gate driver. It is a 110 V half-bridge driver designed for enhancement-mode GaN devices, with applications including power modules and buck, boost, LLC and HSC topologies. An external controller supplies the commands, and external GaN devices perform the power switching.
The manufacturer emphasizes bootstrap supply control. During dead time, the switching node in a half bridge can become negative. With a conventional bootstrap arrangement, this can overcharge the bootstrap capacitor and expose the high-side gate to excessive voltage.
NSD2123 uses smart bootstrap charging: charging occurs while the low-side GaN device is on and stops during dead time. It also includes an active Miller clamp to reduce the risk of false turn-on.
Figure 3. Original NSD2123 functional diagram from NOVOSENSE's June 29, 2026 product material. The red box identifies the smart bootstrap switch. Manufacturer markings and the original English labels are preserved.
The comparison with HP1013A is a comparison of design tasks. NSD2123 allows a designer to choose a GaN driver around an existing control scheme. HP1013A combines a particular PFC control function with SiC drive circuitry. Their switching devices, voltage ranges and circuit positions differ, so they are not substitutes.
NOVOSENSE also reports commercial progress in server power. Its interim report, published in August, says high-voltage GaN drivers and low- and medium-voltage GaN co-packaged products were shipping in volume, with some products in volume production at domestic and overseas server-power customers. Those category-level statements do not identify NSD2123 individually.
JoulWatt works closer to processor core power
Near a processor, the design priorities shift toward low voltage, high current and rapid load changes. Multiphase buck conversion shares the load across several power stages. The controller coordinates their operation and works with the external power stages to respond to demand.
JoulWatt's August product material lists JWH63342 as one device for this position. It supports up to four phases, includes a PWMVID interface, and lists graphics-core, CPU-core and server-processor Vcore supplies among its applications. The chip provides control; the external power stage performs conversion.
Oriental's group also has a product near this part of the chain, but its function differs. Hynetek's HP1800, introduced on August 31, is a PWM expander. It turns one PWM input into four complementary outputs arranged as two interleaved phases, working with an external multiphase controller. JWH63342 is the controller; HP1800 expands the control signals.
JoulWatt's reported customer progress also needs to be separated by product. Its first-half 2026 report says several 90 A DrMOS products had entered volume production at leading customers. New products including a 16-phase digital controller supporting multiple protocols had been sampled to several leading computing customers. That 16-phase product is different from the up-to-four-phase JWH63342, and the DrMOS production milestone cannot be assigned to either controller.
Product role and delivery stage belong in the same comparison
| Supplier | Selected products and functions | Scope of recent progress disclosures |
|---|---|---|
| Oriental Semiconductor / Hynetek | HP1013A: PFC control with SiC drive. OSU1000A and associated devices: IBC control and drive. HP1800: PWM expansion. | September disclosure describes digital-power controller adoption at leading customers, without shipment volumes by model. |
| NOVOSENSE | NSD2123: 110 V half-bridge GaN driver addressing bootstrap charging and gate drive. | Interim report describes volume shipments of high-voltage GaN drivers and low- and medium-voltage GaN co-packaged products, without assigning that status specifically to NSD2123. |
| JoulWatt | JWH63342: Vcore buck control for up to four phases. | Interim report describes production of several 90 A DrMOS products and sampling of new products including a 16-phase digital controller. These disclosures must be assessed separately from JWH63342. |
Table. Selected products and the scope of the suppliers' recent disclosures, rather than their complete portfolios.
Oriental is combining power devices with control and drive support. NOVOSENSE addresses the switching conditions of fast power devices. JoulWatt offers multiphase control and power-stage products closer to the load. Together, they demonstrate more Chinese options across the supply chain, without establishing a server bill of materials in which the selected products have been validated together.
A project's decision will depend on whether integrated control and drive suit the chosen topology, whether the dedicated driver handles the selected GaN device's switching behavior, and whether the multiphase solution meets the processor's interface and transient requirements. The disclosures identify products against which those questions can now be tested. A common-condition evaluation and model-specific supply records are still needed to determine the best fit.
Industry analysis based on public information. Reference designs are not recommendations for a particular implementation. Consult current manufacturer specifications and validate performance and availability for the intended application.
