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Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation announced that it has started construction of a back-end production facility for power semiconductors at Himeji Operations – Semiconductor, in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan. The new facility will start mass production in spring 2025.
Toshiba will promote smart factory initiatives that bring automated transportation systems into manufacturing processes, promote work efficiency through adoption of RFIDNote tags, and improve the accuracy of inventory management. The facility will be 100% powered by renewable energy and equipped with solar power generation systems, underlining Toshiba’s commitment to the SDGs.
Power devices are essential components for managing and reducing power consumption in all kinds of electronic equipment, and for saving energy. With the start of production at the new Himeji facility, Toshiba will more than double its production capacity for automotive power semiconductor production, against fiscal 2022, and reinforce its contributions to advancing carbon neutrality.
Original – Toshiba
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Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is addressing higher power industrial applications with its ICeGaN™ technology which has already proved itself rugged, reliable and easy-to-use in high volume consumer devices. At the APEC 2024, IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, the company is introducing new reference designs and showing demos which address the broad and diverse industrial market.
Andrea Bricconi | Chief Commercial Officer, CGD
“We are acutely aware of the increasing power requirements of industrial applications, and the need for high efficiency. For example, as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) proliferates, the power demanded by the exponential growth in power demanded by datacentres is growing almost exponentially. Other applications, such as solar inverters, amplifiers, transport and smart mobility, process control and manufacturing are also interested in GaN and the feedback we have received is that they love the simplicity of our ‘Drive it Like a MOSFET’ approach.”
At APEC, visitors to the booth are able to see the progress that CGD is making to support both emerging and existing markets for GaN technology..
With a high power density of 23 W/in3, GGD’s 350 W PFC/LLC reference design has an average efficiency of 93%, and a no-load power consumption of 150 mW. The CrM Totem Pole PFC + Half-Bridge LLC PSU has been realised using CGD’s 650 V, 55 mΩ, H2 series ICeGaN technology, and delivers 20 V / 17.5 A output.
The result of a partnership deal struck last year with Neways Electronics, a 3 kW photo-voltaic inverter is used to boost the DC solar voltage to a stable DC link voltage. With a maximum efficiency of 99.22% due to zero-current switching, it is a perfect example of how CGD’s GaN HEMT structure is simple for engineers to use, since it employs a standard silicon controller from Analog Devices Inc.
ICeGaN has been employed by AGD Productions in its compact AGD DUET amplifier which is rated at 300W 4Ω. This is the first time the company has used a 100% GaN power transistor design for both the power stage and the amplifier.
Finally, the GaNext project, a consortium of 13 partners from three nations has delivered compact 1 kW intelligent power modules featuring integrated drive, voltage control and protection circuits using CGD’s ICeGaN.
Original – Cambridge GaN Devices
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Qorvo® announced four 1200V silicon carbide (SiC) modules – two half-bridge and two full-bridge – in a compact E1B package with RDS(on) starting at 9.4mΩ. These highly efficient SiC modules are excellent solutions for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, energy storage, industrial power supplies and solar power applications.
“The modules in this new family can replace as many as four discrete SiC FETs, thus simplifying thermomechanical design as well as assembly. Our cascode technology also allows higher switching frequency operation, further reducing solution size by using smaller external components,” said Ramanan Natarajan, director of product line marketing for Qorvo’s SiC Power Products business.
“For our customers, the high efficiency of these modules streamlines the power supply design process, so they can focus on the design, layout, assembly, characterization and qualification of one module as opposed to numerous discrete components.”
Led by the 9.4mΩ UHB100SC12E1BC3N, these four SiC modules leverage Qorvo’s unique cascode configuration, which minimizes RDS(on) and switching losses to maximize efficiency, especially in soft-switching applications. Silver-sinter die attach reduces thermal resistance to as low as 0.23 °C/W; when combined with the stacked die construction found in the “SC” part numbers, power cycling performance is improved by 2X over comparable SiC power modules on the market.
Together, these characteristics contribute to superior thermal performance and reliability with the ease of use and power density of a highly integrated SiC power module.
The table below provides a snapshot of Qorvo’s new 1200V SiC module family:
Part # Description RDS(on) @25C (mΩ) UFB15C12E1BC3N 1200V, 15A SiC full-bridge module 70 UFB25SC12E1BC3N 1200V, 25A SiC full-bridge module 35 UHB50SC12E1BC3N 1200V, 50A SiC half-bridge module 19 UHB100SC12E1BC3N 1200V, 100A SiC half-bridge module 9.4 Qorvo’s suite of powerful design tools like its FET-Jet Calculator and QSPICE™ software aid in product selection and performance simulation. For more information about Qorvo’s advanced SiC solutions for industrial applications, please visit www.qorvo.com/go/sic.
Original – Qorvo
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Power Integrations announced the InnoMux™-2 family of single-stage, independently regulated multi-output offline power-supply ICs. InnoMux-2 ICs consolidate AC-DC and downstream DC-DC conversion stages into a single chip, providing up to three independently regulated outputs for use in white goods, industrial systems, displays and other applications requiring multiple voltages.
Elimination of separate DC-DC stages slashes component count, reduces PCB footprint and increases efficiency by as much as 10 percentage points compared to traditional two-stage architectures. Efficiency is aided by the ICs’ 750 V PowiGaN™ gallium-nitride transistors, zero-voltage switching (without an active clamp) and synchronous rectification.
Roland Saint-Pierre, vice president of product development at Power Integrations said: “Most modern electronic systems rely on multiple internal voltages to operate various functions such as computing, communication and actuation function – typically heat, light, sound or motion of some kind. But losses in each conversion stage are compounded, degrading system performance and generating heat.
The InnoMux-2 IC overcomes this challenge by providing up to three independently regulated voltage outputs or two voltage output and a constant current output from a single stage, achieving a compact and efficient power sub-system with low component count.”
InnoMux-2 ICs deliver up to 90 watts of output power with accurate regulation of better than ±3 percent across the full input line, load, temperature and differential current step conditions. Total power system efficiency (AC to regulated low-voltage DC segment) is above 90 percent; the advanced InnoMux-2 controller also manages light-load power delivery, avoiding the need for pre-load resistors and reducing no-load consumption to less than 30 mW. This conserves power for necessary functionality in applications subject to the 300 mW allowance for standby usage under the European energy-using product (EuP) regulations.
InnoMux-2 devices leverage Power Integrations’ thermally efficient InSOP™24 and InSOP™28 packages with PCB cooling, so no heatsink is required. Device options include dual- and three-output constant voltage (CV); optionally, one output may be dedicated to constant current (CC) drive, suitable for powering LEDs in displays or for high-speed charging of an internal battery. Typical applications include TVs, monitors, appliances, networking, home and building automation, LED emergency lighting and industrial power supplies.
Original – Power Integrations
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Nexperia is once again bringing its product innovations to APEC and today announced the release of several new MOSFETs to further broaden its range of discrete switching solutions for use in various applications across multiple end markets.
This release includes 100 V application specific MOSFETs (ASFETs) for PoE, eFuse and relay replacement in 60% smaller DFN2020 packaging, and 40 V NextPowerS3 MOSFETs with improved electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance.
PoE switches typically have up to 48 ports, each requiring 2 MOSFETs for protection. With up to 96 MOSFETs on a single PCB, any reduction in device footprint is attractive. For this reason, Nexperia has released 100 V PoE ASFETs in 2 mm x 2 mm DFN2020 packaging which occupies 60% less space than previous versions in LFPAK33 packaging.
A critical function of these devices is to protect PoE ports by limiting inrush currents while safely managing fault conditions. To manage this scenario, Nexperia has enhanced the safe operating area (SOA) of these devices by up to 3x with only a minimal increase in RDS(on). These ASFETs are also suitable for battery management, Wi-Fi hotspot, 5G picocell and CCTV applications and can serve as replacements for mechanical relays in smart thermostats, for example.
EMC-related issues caused by MOSFET switching usually only emerge late in the product development life cycle and resolving them can incur additional R&D costs and delay market release. Typical solutions include using significantly more expensive MOSFETs with lower RDS(on) (to slow down switching and absorb excessive voltage ringing) or to fit an external capacitive snubber circuit but this approach has the disadvantage of increasing component count.
Nexperia has optimized its 40 V NextPowerS3 MOSFETs to offer similar EMC performance as that which can be achieved using an external snubber circuit, while also offering higher efficiency. These MOSFETs are suitable for use in switching converters and motor controllers across various applications and are available in LFPAK56 packaging.
“By introducing these latest additions to our range of discrete FET solutions at APEC 2024, Nexperia showcases how we leverage our expertise in R&D to deliver optimized solutions. Both our new 100 V PoE ASFETs as well as improved EMC performance in our 40 V NextPowerS3 MOSFETs demonstrate our commitment to supporting engineers in overcoming challenges across diverse applications. These innovations underscore Nexperia’s dedication to providing efficient, compact, and reliable solutions that empower our customers to succeed in today’s ever-evolving market,” says Chris Boyce, MOSFET Marketing & Product Group Director at Nexperia.
Original – Nexperia
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Infineon Technologies AG introduced the 750V G1 discrete CoolSiC™ MOSFET to meet the increasing demand for higher efficiency and power density in industrial and automotive power applications. The product family includes both industrial-graded and automotive-graded SiC MOSFETs that are optimized for totem-pole PFC, T-type, LLC/CLLC, dual active bridge (DAB), HERIC, buck/boost, and phase-shifted full bridge (PSFB) topologies.
The MOSFETs are ideal for use in both typical industrial applications, such as electric vehicle charging, industrial drives, solar and energy storage systems, solid state circuit breaker, UPS systems, servers/ datacenters, telecom, and in the automotive sector, such as onboard chargers (OBC), DC-DC converters, and many more.
The CoolSiC MOSFET 750 V G1 technology features excellent RDS (on) x Q fr and superior RDS (on) x Q oss Figure-of-Merits (FOMs), resulting in ultra-high efficiency in hard-switching and soft-switching topologies respectively. Its unique combination of high threshold voltage (V GS(th), Typ. of 4.3 V) with low Q GD/Q GS ratio ensures high robustness against parasitic turn-on and enables unipolar gate driving, leading to increased power density and low cost of the systems.
All devices use Infineon’s proprietary die-attach technology which delivers outstanding thermal impedance for equivalent die sizes. The highly reliable gate oxide design combined with Infineon’s qualification standards delivers robust and long-term performance.
With a granular portfolio ranging from 8 to 140 mΩ RDS (on) at 25°C, this new CoolSiC MOSFET 750 V G1 product family meets a wide range of needs. Its design ensures lower conduction and switching losses, boosting overall system efficiency.
Its innovative packages minimize thermal resistance, facilitate improved heat dissipation, and optimize in-circuit power loop inductance, thereby resulting in high power density and reduced system costs. It’s important to note that this product family features the cutting-edge QDPAK top-side cooled package.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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GlobalWafers held its board meeting to approve 2023 financial results.
FY2023 consolidated revenue reached NT$70.7 billion with YoY 0.5%; gross profit of NT$26.4 billion, with -12.9% YoY, gross profit margin of 37.4%, with -5.8% YoY; operating income of NT$20.1 billion, with -19.7% YoY, operating income margin of 28.4%, with -7.1% YoY; profit before tax of NT$26.5 billion, with 31.8% YoY, profit before tax margin of 37.5%, with 8.9% YoY; net profit of NT$19.8 billion, with 28.6% YoY, net profit margin of 28.0%, with 6.1% YoY; EPS reached NT$45.41, with an increase of more than NT$10 compared with the previous year.
FY2023 consolidated revenue grew in 3 concessive years and rose to the highest again! FY2023 EPS, profit before tax margin and net profit margin all hit record high.
Despite the semiconductor industry in 2023 facing a slowdown in global economic and consumer electronics demand, coupled with increased inventory pressure, GlobalWafers benefited from a high proportion of LTAs and maintained high utilization rates for FZ wafers and compound semiconductor wafers, achieving continued growth in revenue throughout the year.
Looking ahead to 2024, as terminal market inventories are gradually reabsorbed, AI features will progressively integrate into personal computers, tablets, and smartphones, potentially driving a wave of upgrades. In the meantime, the AI ecosystem relies on supports from peripherals and semiconductor components, fueling demands for edge computing, high-performance computing (HPC) and spurring the development of low-power consumption-related components (SiC, ULLD, IGBT…).
More innovations are expected to be introduced, such as 5G, electrification, smart cockpits, and autonomous driving, contributing to the growth momentum in the semiconductor market. Besides, policies related to energy transition and net-zero carbon emissions in various countries have laid a long-term foundation for the development of compound semiconductors. In 2024, the market is expected to gradually recover, with memory leading the way in releasing signals.
However, the pace and extent of economic recovery depend on various factors, including different terminal applications and global economic uncertainties such as war, rising shipping costs, interest rate changes, and exchange rate fluctuations. Positioned in the upstream of the semiconductor industry, GlobalWafers anticipates a recovery a quarter or two later than downstream and expects a healthier performance in the second half of the year compared to the first half, considering that customers will prioritize depleting existing inventories.
With a comprehensive product spectrum ranging from 3” to 12” semiconductor wafers, GlobalWafers is able to cater for customers’ needs to cope with market fluctuations of individual products. Moreover, the Company has carried out expansion plans to get ready for the acceleration toward advanced processes.
GlobalWafers has become a long-term partner of customers with its focus on sustainability and the unique advantages of highly regionalized deployment that allows the Company to supply products in proximity, reducing the carbon footprint and the impact of carbon tariffs, while also mitigating geopolitical risks. With flexible asset allocation and a sound financial structure, GlobalWafers is resilient to market volatility and continues to create profits through prudent operations.
Original – GlobalWafers
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EPC introduced the 100 V, 1 mOhm EPC2361. This is the lowest on-resistance GaN FET on the market offering double the power density compared to EPC’s prior-generation products.
The EPC2361 has a typical RDS(on) of just 1 mOhm in a thermally enhanced QFN package with exposed top and tiny, 3 mm x 5 mm, footprint. The maximum RDS(on) x Area of the EPC2361 is 15 mΩ*mm2 – over five times smaller than comparable 100 V silicon MOSFETs.
With its ultra-low on-resistance, the EPC2361 enables higher power density and efficiency in power conversion systems, leading to reduced energy consumption and heat dissipation. This breakthrough is particularly significant for applications such as high-power PSU AC-DC synchronous rectification, high frequency DC-DC conversion for data centers, motor drives for eMobility, robotics, drones, and solar MPPTs.
“Our new 1 mΩ GaN FET continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with GaN technology, empowering our customers to create more efficient, compact, and reliable power electronics systems,” comments Alex Lidow, EPC CEO and co-founder.
Original – Efficient Power Conversion
