70% Smaller: TI IsoShield™ Redefines Power
According to Texas Instruments (TI), power design engineers are facing increasing challenges as end equipment becomes smaller while power demands continue to rise. Although power modules have long been used to save PCB space and simplify design, shrinking chip sizes are leaving even less room for power solutions. As a result, engineers are seeking more compact, efficient, and reliable designs that can also accelerate time-to-market.
At the 2026 Applied Power Electronics Conference, TI introduced two new isolated power modules—UCC34141-Q1 and UCC33420—featuring its proprietary IsoShield™ technology. These devices deliver up to three times higher power density and reduce solution size by as much as 70% compared to discrete implementations, directly addressing key design constraints in modern electronics.
IsoShield™ technology integrates a high-performance planar transformer, isolated power stage, control circuitry, and passive components into a single package. This multi-chip packaging approach enables functional, basic, and reinforced isolation, supporting distributed power architectures while minimizing single points of failure. The modules can deliver up to 2W of output power, making them suitable for automotive, industrial, and data center applications that require high reliability and enhanced isolation.
From a technical standpoint, IsoShield™ operates at switching frequencies above 20MHz, significantly reducing the size of magnetic components such as inductors and transformers. It supports multiple isolation levels—including reinforced isolation above 5000V—and achieves parasitic capacitance below 3pF, along with a common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of up to 250V/ns. These characteristics make it well-suited for high-frequency switching topologies and noise-sensitive environments.
One of the key advantages of IsoShield™ is the simplification of isolated power supply design. Traditional transformer-based designs require complex customization involving winding structures, core materials, and parasitic parameters. By integrating these elements into a single module, TI eliminates much of this complexity, reducing component count and shortening development cycles. Only input/output capacitors and feedback circuits are needed externally, which is particularly beneficial for rapid deployment in data centers, server racks, and battery backup units.
Thermal performance has also been optimized. Instead of relying on conventional top- or bottom-side cooling, IsoShield™ modules improve heat dissipation through optimized pin design, PCB copper layout, and via structures. In addition, the integrated design reduces mechanical stress on solder joints by more than 90% compared to discrete transformer solutions, enhancing reliability in high-vibration environments such as electric vehicles.
TI’s innovation in power management has evolved significantly over the years—from early flyback-based designs requiring external transformers, to the MagPack™ integrated magnetics technology introduced in 2024, and now to IsoShield™. This latest advancement represents a major step forward in isolated bias power design, enabling higher integration and performance.
Currently, the UCC33420 is available for purchase, while the UCC34141-Q1 is in pre-production. Both devices are supported by evaluation modules, reference designs, and simulation models to help engineers accelerate development.
From an application perspective, the demand for compact, high-density power solutions is rapidly increasing. In data centers, for example, the shift toward 800V architectures driven by AI workloads requires higher power density within limited space. Traditional transformer-based designs occupy significant board area and introduce unwanted electrical effects, increasing complexity and reducing noise immunity. IsoShield™ modules, with their high CMTI and low parasitic capacitance, are well-suited for high-frequency topologies such as hot-swap and multiphase buck converters, enabling efficient 800V-to-low-voltage DC power conversion.
In electric vehicles, rising performance expectations and extended driving range requirements are pushing for lighter and more efficient onboard power systems. IsoShield™ supports applications such as onboard chargers (OBC), high-voltage DC-DC converters, motor drives, and battery management systems. It is compatible with 48V architectures and silicon carbide (SiC)-based high-frequency designs, helping reduce system size and weight while improving efficiency and reliability under extreme conditions.
Beyond automotive and data centers, IsoShield™ technology also targets industrial automation, robotics, USB-C power delivery, and renewable energy systems. Combined with TI’s portfolio of over 350 optimized power modules, it provides a comprehensive solution for modern power design challenges.
Looking ahead, TI plans to expand IsoShield™ into higher voltage and current applications, further driving adoption across industries. By advancing packaging technology and integration, the company aims to enable the next generation of high-performance power electronics.
