Menlo Micro Advances MEMS Circuit Breaker for US Navy

 

Menlo Micro, global industry experts in high-performance MEMS switching technology, has announced the successful completion of Task 4 of the U.S. Navy’s 10 MW Advanced Circuit Breaker Development Program. The milestone demonstrates the scalability and performance of the company’s Ideal Switch® platform for high-power applications across defense, industrial, and data center environments.

The achievement validates the robustness of Menlo Micro’s switching architecture, with the system reliably handling 0.5 MW through a 1000V, 500A panel configuration. The design integrates four 1000V/125A modules, demonstrating a scalable approach suitable for future productization in advanced power control systems.

This development addresses longstanding challenges in power electronics, where systems must balance power density, switching speed, reliability, and energy efficiency. The demonstrated architecture enables a reduction in system size, weight, and complexity while minimizing thermal management requirements. The design eliminates the need for liquid cooling and large heat sinks, supporting more compact and efficient system integration.

“Completing this phase of the project confirms Menlo Micro’s leadership in high-power MEMS switching and shows that our Ideal Switch technology meets demanding real-world requirements,” said Russ Garcia, CEO of Menlo Micro.

“This milestone not only strengthens Menlo’s pipeline for defense and commercial markets but also accelerates adoption of emerging high-performance power control needs across multiple industries including AI data centers.” 

Menlo Micro’s Ideal Switch technology differs from conventional semiconductor-based switching solutions by utilizing metal-to-metal conduction. This approach enables near lossless switching with minimal heat generation, supporting higher power density and simplified thermal management.

The platform provides advantages for modern power systems where efficiency, reliability, and compact system design are critical. These capabilities are increasingly important across applications including defense systems, industrial automation, and high-performance computing infrastructure.

The successful completion of this milestone supports Menlo Micro’s broader development roadmap, positioning the company for continued growth across advanced power control and protection markets.

About Menlo Micro

Menlo Micro develops switching solutions based on its Ideal Switch platform, designed to overcome limitations of traditional electromechanical relays and semiconductor-based switches. The technology enables high-performance switching across both power and frequency domains, supporting applications in aerospace, defense, power electronics, and data infrastructure. The platform is designed to improve efficiency, reduce system size, and enhance reliability in demanding environments. To learn more, please click here.

Source/Photo Credit: Menlo Micro

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