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Infineon Technologies AG has signed an agreement with Chinese silicon carbide (SiC) supplier SICC to diversify Infineon’s SiC material supplier base and to secure additional competitive SiC sources. Under the agreement, SICC will supply the Germany-based semiconductor manufacturer with competitive and high-quality 150-millimeter wafers and boules for the manufacturing of SiC semiconductors, covering a double-digit share of the forecasted demand in the long term.
The agreement will focus in the first phase on 150-millimeter SiC material, but SICC SiC material supply will also support Infineon’s transition to 200-millimeter wafer diameter. This will generally contribute to supply chain stability, in particular with regard to the growing demand for SiC semiconductor products for automotive, solar and EV charging applications as well as energy storage systems in the Chinese market, and will generally support the rapid growth of the emerging semiconductor material SiC.
“Infineon is significantly expanding its manufacturing capacities at its production sites in Malaysia and Austria in order to serve the growing SiC demand. In this context, we are implementing a multi-supplier and multi-country sourcing strategy to increase resilience for the benefit of our broad customer base and are securing new competitive top-quality sources globally, matching the highest standards in the market,” said Angelique van der Burg, Chief Procurement Officer at Infineon.
“SICC’s substrates are widely used in the Power SiC field. We are pleased to team up with Infineon as our customer, a global leader in power semiconductors. SICC will continuously expand capacity to add more value for its global customers. We value Infineon as an excellent leading strategic customer and we look forward to jointly enhancing SiC industry development and promoting global digitalization, low-carbonization, and sustainable development,” said Zong Yanmin, CEO of SICC.
Infineon is currently expanding its SiC manufacturing capacity in order to achieve its target of a 30 percent global market share by the end of the decade. Infineon’s SiC manufacturing capacity will increase tenfold by 2027. A new plant in Kulim, Malaysia is scheduled to start production in 2024, adding to Infineon’s manufacturing capacities in Villach, Austria. Today, Infineon already provides SiC semiconductors to more than 3,600 automotive and industrial customers worldwide.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Henkel announced the addition of Loctite Ablestik ABP 8068TI to its growing portfolio of high thermal die attach adhesives. With 165 W/m-K thermal conductivity, the new pressure-less sintering die attach paste boasts the highest thermal capability in the company’s semiconductor packaging portfolio, meeting performance requirements for high-reliability automotive and industrial power discrete semiconductor devices.
“High voltage applications like those found in automotive ADAS systems, EVs, industrial motor controls, and high-efficiency power supplies require superior electrical and thermal performance,” says Henkel’s Global Market Segment Head for Semiconductor Packaging Materials, Ramachandran Trichur. “Currently, the only viable die attach alternative to Pb solder – which will soon be phased out and cannot meet certain thermal demands – is sintered silver (Ag). Henkel pioneered pressure-less sintering die attach, allowing the use of standard, low-stress processing, and we have now formulated our fourth and highest thermal conductivity material to date, which tackles the stringent thermal and electrical requirements of next-generation power packages.”
Henkel’s newest pressure-less sintering die attach formulation meets multiple metrics for power semiconductors like MOSFETs, which are increasingly incorporating silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials as alternatives to silicon (Si) for improved efficiency. Loctite Ablestik ABP 8068TI is compatible with traditional Si and newer wide-bandgap semiconductors, among other power discrete devices. The 165 W/m-K ultra-high thermal conductivity die attach adhesive has demonstrated excellent sintering properties with good adhesion on copper (Cu), pre-plated frames (PPF), silver (Ag), and gold (Au) lead frames, robust electrical conductivity and stable RDS(on) after 1,000 hours of thermal cycling, and MSL 3 reliability.
Recommended for dies measuring 3.0 mm x 3.0 mm or smaller, Loctite Ablestik ABP 8068TI fully cures at 175° C or above to form a rigid sintered Ag network in the bulk epoxy and at the interface. Because pressure-less sintering is a drop-in replacement for standard die attach, high pressure is not required to achieve this robust structure, eliminating stress on thin die. Workability of the material is also notable at three hours of void-free open time and 24 hours of stage time with no degradation in shear strength.
As Trichur concludes, the power device market will only accelerate in application uses and performance requirements, making high-capability, high thermal die attach solutions an operational necessity: “There is an increased demand for power devices across market sectors, including automotive, industrial power storage and conversion, and aerospace, to name a few. For power semiconductors, sintered die attach is the prevailing and most reliable solution to deliver the die attach strength, integrity, and thermal and electrical conductivity required. Loctite Ablestik ABP 8068TI provides all this in a formula that enables simple processing to protect thinner, more complex dies.”
Original – Henkel
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Infineon Technologies AG has broken ground for a new plant in Dresden together with political leaders from Brussels, Berlin and Saxony. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and Dresden’s Mayor Dirk Hilbert symbolically launched construction work together with Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck. With an investment volume of five billion euros, the new plant is the largest single investment in Infineon’s history.
“With this groundbreaking, Infineon is launching an important contribution to the green and digital transformation of our society,” said Hanebeck. “Global semiconductor demand will grow strongly and persistently in view of the high demand for renewable energies, data centers and electromobility. Our new plant will serve our customers’ demands in the second half of the decade. Together, we are driving decarbonization and digitalization.”
“In times of increasing geopolitical risks, it is great news for Europe that Infineon is investing massively in semiconductor manufacturing in Dresden”, said von der Leyen. “We need more such projects in Europe as demand for microchips will continue to rise rapidly. The EU Commission and member states are mobilizing 43 billion euros over the next few years under the European Chips Act to create a stronger and more resilient Europe in the digital domain.”
“Chips are the basis of any essential transformation technology – from wind farm to charging station. We welcome Infineon’s continued investment in Germany and thus further strengthening our country as one of the world’s most important semiconductor locations,” Scholz emphasized on the occasion of the groundbreaking event. “Chips made in Dresden help secure jobs and make our industry – from midsize companies to large corporations – more resilient. Dresden is where the components are created, that are needed for upcoming investments in green technologies.”
“Infineon’s investment will strengthen Europe, Germany and Saxony as an economic location,” says Kretschmer. “The construction of the new plant will both secure and create high-value jobs in Dresden. At the same time the attractiveness of Silicon Saxony as a center of expertise for the global semiconductor industry is increasing. For years, the state of Saxony has been supporting this unique ecosystem by investing in science.”
In addition, the investment by Infineon strengthens the manufacturing basis for the semiconductors that drive decarbonization and digitalization. Analog/mixed-signal components are used in power supply systems, for example in energy-efficient charging systems, small automotive motor control units, in data centers and in applications for the Internet of Things (IoT). The interaction of power semiconductors and analog/mixed-signal components makes it possible to create particularly energy-efficient and intelligent system solutions.
Expansion of production capacities at the existing Dresden site will let Infineon complete the project quickly and will also generate considerable effects of scale. Manufacturing activities are planned to begin in fall 2026. The expansion will create approximately 1,000 highly qualified jobs. Preparatory measures are currently taking place at the site of the new plant; the start of shell construction is planned for fall 2023.
The plant will be equipped with the latest in environmental technologies and will be among the most environmentally friendly manufacturing facilities of its kind. Thanks to advanced digitalization and automation, Infineon is also setting new standards for manufacturing excellence in Dresden. The new plant will be closely linked with the Infineon Villach site as “One Virtual Fab”. This manufacturing complex for power electronics is based on highly efficient 300-millimeter technology and will increase efficiency levels, giving Infineon additional flexibility in order to supply its customers faster.
In February, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has approved an early project launch, meaning that construction can already begin before completion of the inspection of legal subsidy aspects by the European Commission. Subject to the European Commission’s state aid decision and the national grant procedure, the project is to be funded in accordance with the objectives of the European Chips Act. Infineon is seeking public funding of around one billion euros.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) announced the release of 600V αMOS7™ Super Junction MOSFETs Family. αMOS7™ is AOS’ next generation high voltage MOSFET, designed to meet the high efficiency and high-density needs of servers, workstations, telecom rectifiers, solar Inverters, EV charging, motor drives and industrial power applications.
Today’s Server power supply requires Titanium efficiency, which translates to more than 98.5% peak efficiency on both PFC and LLC stages. Active-Bridges and Bridgeless designs are easy-to-implement solutions; however, switching and driving losses, especially at light load, are still the main problems designers face. Existing technologies limited by large cell pitches and charges could hardly meet such requirements.
Next-gen SJ technologies with reduced charge but also enough robustness is in demand. Low Qrr and Trr for LLC and PSFB applications are also a must during transient and abnormal situations. AOS αMOS7™ High Voltage SJ MOSFET is the best answer for above needs.
For Solar applications, low ohmic SMD devices are becoming the new standards, aiming for reduced form factors through utilizing 3D mechanical and thermal designs. αMOS7™ provides a wide Rdson granularity and SMD package choices, such as DFN, TOLL, and Top-cooling variants.
For low Fsw applications such as Solid-State Relays or Active Bridges, FETs must meet specific SOA requirements to sustain surge and in-rush currents. αMOS7™ ensures low Rdson’s temperature coefficient and ruggedness for transient voltage and current overstresses.
The first product released – AOK050V60A7 is a 600V 50mOhm αMOS7 low ohmic device with the industry-standard TO-247 package tailored for today’s high-power AC/DC, DC/DC, and Solar Inverter stages. As the EU ERP Lot9 regulation pushes the efficiency of single PSUs to Titanium level, AOS αMOS7™ 600V low ohmic family provides an ideal solution for single, interleaved, dual boost, totem-pole, and Vienna PFCs, as well as other hard-switching topologies. The optimized capacitance of AOK050V60A7 will provide customers excellent switching performances, with fast turn-on/turn-off behaviors, while avoiding the risks of self-turn-on or shoot-through. The 50mohm device will be followed by our upcoming 32mohm, 40mohm, 65mohm, and 105mohm devices.
“The new charge balance structure makes it possible to further reduce the active area up to 50%, compared to αMOS5™, our existing solution. In general, αMOS7™ is an industry-leading high voltage SJ solution designed to address both efficiency driven and cost-driven markets,” said Richard Zhang, Senior Director of Product Line and Global Power Supply businesses at AOS.
Technical Highlights:
- Low Ohmic device with ultra-low switching losses
- Rugged Body Diode and FRD options (Reduced Qrr) available for more demanding use cases
- Rugged SOA and in-rush current capability for Solid-State Relay and Active Bridge applications
- Optimized for both High Power and Low Power SMPSes, Solar Inverters, and EV DC Charging applications
Original – Alpha and Omega Semiconductor
