PowerLattice has recently announced a multi-chiplet technology that represents both a design and manufacturing breakthrough. This breakthrough technology is helping reduce power usage for graphics processing units (GPUs) by 50 percent and provide 2X performance per watt! Under the leadership of CEO Peng Zou and his team, Hanchang is at the forefront of this exciting innovation. They are addressing the growing energy needs of data centers, particularly those for artificial intelligence. The private chip company has designed chiplets that measure more than 20 times smaller than conventional voltage regulators. These compact chiplets are intended to move voltage conversion explosions next to processors, effectively decreasing energy waste.
The chiplets are just 100 micrometers high, about the diameter of a human hair. Over the last twenty years, engineers created them by miniaturizing and repackaging more-powerful high-voltage regulators. By employing a specialized magnetic alloy for inductor construction, PowerLattice enables efficient operation at frequencies one hundred times higher than traditional solutions. This new development represents a giant leap in performance. It conserves electricity, an increasingly valuable resource with the rising demand for energy-saving technologies.
Technical Innovation and Efficiency
The secret to PowerLattice’s breakthrough is the miniaturization of inductors by order of magnitude, designed no less to maintain all the performance powerhouses. As Zou pointed out, this is no small accomplishment, given that “this has almost become a show-stopping issue nowadays.” This innovative design allows for better performance by shortening the distance high current need to travel, thus cutting down on power loss.
Hanh-Phuc Le, senior engineer at PowerLattice, offered this key piece of wisdom. He said the longer high current has to go toward the processor, the more power that is lost. This strategy increases efficiency at least five times. It further positions PowerLattice as a key player in the growing competitive market of GPU power Management Solutions.
At the same time, the chiplets are made to cater to the bolting power demands of AI data centers. As these facilities continue to grow in order to meet more and more advanced computing needs, the need for intelligent power management cannot be understated. To Zou, PowerLattice’s innovative technology is the key to addressing all of these issues at once. In doing so, it provides a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution.
Market Position and Competitive Edge
PowerLattice’s smart market positioning gives it a big advantage over legacy competitors. PowerLattice has a different strategic focus than companies such as Qualcomm. Rather than forcing an integration of processors with proprietary power supply management systems, PowerLattice provides chiplets that seamlessly work with any processor. What makes us different Zou noted that “from a market position perspective, we are very, very different. This flexibility gives customers the freedom to deploy PowerLattice’s solutions without being locked into proprietary hardware.
As to the bigger market picture, Le further explained that there’s a movement toward chiplet adoption as a function of heterogeneous integration. It’s the capacity to engage constructively with other startups that makes PowerLattice’s approach so distinctive. That’s the nature of the market. We have a fledgling protecting our startup working with another fledgling protecting sector right now major conglomerates that quarter to produce electric powered and autonomous vehicles.
Zou went a step further to explain why he believed industry competition was harmful. He reiterated the point that he doesn’t view Intel as a competitor. He elaborated that their contrasting business models and corporate cultures create a space where PowerLattice can succeed on its own terms.
Future Prospects
Looking forward, PowerLattice is on a mission to use its disruptive chiplet technology to address the unprecedented demands of today’s computing environments. Unlike a decade ago, the stars have finally aligned to allow the company to succeed. In 2010, a few large firms controlled the market and set the standards for what would be offered to the power supply. Given the rapid evolution of chiplet technology and a dynamic industry environment, PowerLattice is coming into its golden age.
Zou’s vision is to deliver solutions that go beyond improving performance to deliver greater energy efficiency in both on and off-road applications. With AI increasingly leading the way on what’s possible in computing, the applications for PowerLattice’s technology might only grow in significance.