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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) announced that the Full Commission of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has affirmed the ITC’s initial determination that Innoscience infringed EPC’s foundational patent for GaN technology, which is core to applications involving artificial intelligence, satellites, rapid chargers, humanoid robots, and autonomous driving, among others. The decision imposes a ban on Innoscience (Zhuhai) Technology Co., Ltd. and its affiliates (Innoscience) from importing GaN-related products into the United States without a license from EPC.
This milestone decision marks the first successfully litigated U.S. patent dispute involving GaN-based wide bandgap semiconductors and solidifies EPC’s position as a leading developer of these next-generation devices, which are significantly more efficient, faster, and smaller than traditional, silicon-based technology. The decision also paves the way for EPC to expand access to its IP through licensing agreements with potential partners and customers around the world.
“After pouring nearly two decades and immense resources into developing our uniquely valuable intellectual property portfolio, this is a tremendous victory for EPC and a major win for fair competition globally, which is critical to the success of next-generation technological advances. We are grateful to the ITC for their diligent work in recognizing the validity of our patents and Innoscience’s infringement,” said Alex Lidow, CEO and Co-Founder of EPC. “EPC will continue to vigorously defend our IP against unfair use to ensure that we can continue to innovate and provide our customers with the cutting-edge technologies needed to help power our future.”
The ITC’s most recent decision is the fourth time that EPC’s IP rights have been affirmed against Innoscience in the past six months. EPC initially filed the infringement claim against Innoscience in the ITC in May 2023. In response, Innoscience challenged the validity of the EPC patents at issue in the U.S., as well as EPC’s counterpart patents in China.
The China National Intellectual Property Administration upheld the validity of EPC’s counterpart patents in April and May 2024. The ITC’s initial determination in July 2024 similarly confirmed the validity of the challenged patents, and also found that Innoscience infringed EPC’s foundational patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,350,294. The ITC’s final determination is subject to a 60-day Presidential review period, expiring on January 6, 2025.
Original – Efficient Power Conversion
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that at electronica 2024, the company will be exhibiting its broad portfolio of passive and semiconductor solutions, and discussing their pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future through the all-electric society. Vishay experts will be on hand to dive into cutting-edge developments in automation, AI, e-mobility, and smart and alternative energy technologies.
In hall C4, booth 478, Vishay will be showcasing its differentiated products and solutions in a range of applications and use cases, including AI, alternative energy, energy storage systems (ESS), ADAS, e-mobility and urban mobility, EV charging infrastructure, HMI, HVAC, grid management, and building automation. In reference designs on display, Vishay’s components — including the company’s latest silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, diodes, and power modules — make up to 70 % or more of the BOMs. Among the highlights taking center stage at Vishay’s booth will be:
AI
- A multi-phase power board for SoCs used in AI applications featuring 100 A smart power stages, ultra low DCR, vertical-mount IHVR inductors, and polymer tantalum capacitors
Alternative Energy
- An auxiliary power system for solar inverters, featuring 1200 V MaxSiC™ series SiC MOSFETs and FRED Pt® hyperfast rectifiers for the conversion of 100 V to 700 V inputs down to 24 V
- A bidirectional 230 V AC / 1500 V DC multi-waveform direct inverter with battery storage, featuring surface-mount MOSFETs with low on-resistance and NTC thermistors
- A 10 kW hybrid solar inverter with MPPT, featuring 1200 V, 15 A SiC diodes
e-Mobility
- An intelligent battery shunt built on WSBE Power Metal Strip® resistors, with low TCR and a CAN FD interface for 400 V / 800 V systems
- A 22 kW bidirectional 800 V to 800 V power converter for OBCs featuring SiC power modules
- A 4 kW bidirectional 800 V to 48 V power converter for auxiliary power featuring Si and SiC MOSFETs
- Active discharge circuits with wirewound safety resistors and MOSFET drivers for 400 V / 800 V DC-Link capacitors
ADAS
- A DMS / CMS system in which IR LEDs shut off when a user comes too close, featuring high accuracy ambient lights sensors with I²C interfaces; reflective optical sensors with transistor output; and fully integrated proximity and ambient lights sensors with infrared emitters, I²C interfaces, and interrupt functions
ESS
- Isolated busbar current sensors with analog output in which an isolation amplifier transmits voltage signals from a WSBE shunt and WSL2726 resistor
HMI and EMI Suppression
- An HMI featuring IHPT series haptic feedback actuators with Immersion Corporation licenses
- A multi-axis robot capturing and displaying the EMI performance of IHLE® inductors and competing devices running side by side
Grid Management and Power Conversion
- A smart meter and gateway for the real-time monitoring of energy consumption and generation in the home
- A bidirectional 72 V / 12 V DC/DC converter with Transzorb® TVS for telecom power supplies
Additional reference designs and demonstrations being offered by Vishay at electronica 2024 will include isolated AC/DC voltage sensors for high voltage networks; a BMS optical communication system; a compact 800 V power distribution solution; a 48 V, 15 kW traction inverter; a 48 V, 3 kW on-board charger; a 30 kW fast charger; a BLDC motor control board for heat pumps; a smart smoke, CO, and heat detector with supercapacitor backup; a photovoltaic energy harvester featuring ENYCAP® capacitors; a dual-side cooled, low voltage BLDC motor controller with high thermal efficiency, as well as designs featuring inrush current limiters and sensing thermistor solutions from the company’s latest acquisition: Ametherm.
Original – Vishay Intertechnology
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Wolfspeed, Inc. announced its results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025.
Quarterly Financial Highlights (Continuing operations only. All comparisons are to the first quarter of fiscal 2024.)
- Consolidated revenue of approximately $195 million, as compared to approximately $197 million
- Mohawk Valley Fab contributed approximately $49 million in revenue
- Power device design-ins of $1.5 billion
- Power device design-wins of $1.3 billion
- GAAP gross margin of approximately (19)%, compared to approximately 13%
- GAAP gross margin includes the impacts of underutilization costs primarily in connection with the start of production at the Mohawk Valley Fab. Underutilization was $26.4 million as compared to $34.4 million.
- Non-GAAP gross margin of 3%, compared to 16%
- Ended Q1 with ~$1.7 billion in cash and investments; does not include initial draw down of $250 million from lender group
“This quarter we took action to solidify the capital structure, simplifying our business to accelerate structural profitability and support the build out of our state-of-the-art silicon carbide facilities. We will have a 200mm silicon carbide footprint at Mohawk Valley and North Carolina materials factories that we target to generate approximately $3 billion in revenue annually,” said Wolfspeed CEO, Gregg Lowe. “Last month, we reached a significant milestone by signing a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) for up to $750 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act and an additional $750 million from our lending group, demonstrating substantial progress towards our funding goals. With this announcement, we now have access to up to $2.5 billion of incremental funding to support our U.S. capacity expansion plans.”
Lowe continued, “To drive operational improvements, we are taking action to enhance efficiency, align our business with current market conditions and become the first silicon carbide company to transition to pure-play 200-millimeter. The transition to a fully 200-millimeter platform allows us to take further initiatives to streamline our cost structure, including closing our manual Durham 150-millimeter Fab, other manufacturing footprint rationalization, and reducing our workforce. Combined, we expect these initiatives will yield approximately $200 million in annual cash savings. In parallel, we remain focused on optimizing our capital structure, further reducing our fiscal 2025 CapEx guidance by $100 million to align the pace of our spend with the broader shift in EV market demand.”
“We delivered 2.5 times year-over-year growth in our automotive business in the first quarter, and we expect our EV revenue to continue to grow throughout calendar 2025, as the total number of car models using a Wolfspeed silicon carbide solution in the power train increased by 4x from 2023 to 2024 and is expected to grow by another approximately 75% year over year in 2025. We also remain confident in the long-term fundamentals of our industrial and energy business. Importantly, we believe the secular trends and long-term growth drivers for our core end markets remain intact, and we expect the actions we are taking today will allow us to become a more efficient and agile organization positioned to capture the long-term growth opportunities ahead,” concluded Lowe.
For its second quarter of fiscal 2025, Wolfspeed targets revenue from continuing operations in a range of $160 million to $200 million. GAAP net loss is targeted at $401 million to $362 million, or $3.14 to $2.84 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net loss is targeted to be in a range of $145 million to $114 million, or $1.14 to $0.89 per diluted share.
Targeted non-GAAP net loss excludes $256 million to $248 million of estimated expenses, net of tax, primarily related to stock-based compensation expense, amortization of discount and debt issuance costs, net of capitalized interest, project, transformation and transaction costs and restructuring and other facility closure costs. The GAAP and non-GAAP targets do not include any estimated change in the fair value of the shares of common stock of MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. (MACOM) that we acquired in connection with the sale to MACOM of our RF product line (RF Business Divestiture).
During the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Wolfspeed initiated a facility closure and consolidation plan to optimize its cost structure and accelerate its transition from 150mm to 200mm silicon carbide devices. The costs incurred as a result of this restructuring plan include severance and employee benefit costs, voluntary termination benefits and other facility closure-related costs.
Wolfspeed incurred $87.1 million of restructuring-related costs in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, of which $34.3 million were recognized in cost of revenue, net and $52.8 million were expensed as operating expense in the statement of operations. For the second quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company expects to incur $174 million of restructuring-related costs, of which $34 million will be recognized in cost of revenue, net and the remaining $140 million will be recognized as operating expense.
Original – Wolfspeed
- Consolidated revenue of approximately $195 million, as compared to approximately $197 million
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Stellantis N.V. and Infineon Technologies AG will work jointly on the power architecture for Stellantis’ electric vehicles to support Stellantis’ ambition of offering clean, safe and affordable mobility to all.
To support this, the companies have signed major supply and capacity agreements that will serve as the foundation for the planned collaboration to develop the next generation of power architecture, including:
- Infineon’s PROFET™ smart power switches, which will replace traditional fuses, reduce wiring and enable Stellantis to become one of the first automakers to implement intelligent power network management.
- Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, which will support Stellantis in its efforts to standardize its power modules, improve the performance and efficiency of EVs while also reducing costs.
- AURIX TM microcontrollers, which target the first generation of the STLA Brain zonal architecture.
Stellantis and Infineon are also in the process of extending their cooperation with the implementation of a Joint Power Lab to define the next-generation scalable and intelligent power architecture enabling Stellantis’ software-defined vehicle.
“As outlined in our strategic plan, Dare Forward 2030, we are securing the supply of crucial semiconductor solutions required to continue our transition to an electrified future leveraging innovative E/E architectures for our next-generation platforms,” said Maxime Picat, Stellantis Chief Purchasing and Supplier Quality Officer.
“Infineon is now entering a collaboration and innovation partnership with Stellantis,” said Peter Schiefer, President of Infineon’s Automotive Division. “As the world’s leading automotive semiconductor vendor, we bring our product-to-system expertise and dependable electronics to the table. Our semiconductors drive the decarbonization and digitalization of mobility. They increase the efficiency of cars and enable software-defined architectures that will significantly improve the user experience.”
With the world`s most cost-competitive SiC fab in Kulim, Malaysia, the upcoming 300-millimeter ”Smart Power Fab” in Dresden, Germany, and the joint venture with TSMC and partners (ESMC) as well as accompanying supply agreements with foundry partners, Infineon is ready to fully meet market demand for automotive semiconductor solutions. According to the market research company TechInsights, Infineon is the global number one supplier of automotive microcontrollers with a market share of about 29 percent of the global automotive microcontroller market.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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LATEST NEWS / PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY / SiC / WBGSTMicroelectronics Released an Advanced Galvanically Isolated Gate Drivers for IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs
November 7, 2024
2 Min ReadSTMicroelectronics’ STGAP3S family of gate drivers for silicon-carbide (SiC) and IGBT power switches combines ST’s latest robust galvanic isolation technology with optimized desaturation protection and flexible Miller-clamp architecture.
Featuring reinforced capacitive galvanic isolation between the gate-driving channel and the low-voltage control and interface circuitry, the STGAP3S withstands 9.6kV transient isolation voltage (VIOTM) with 200V/ns common-mode transient immunity (CMTI). With its state-of-the-art isolation, the STGAP3S enhances reliability in motor drives for industrial applications such as air conditioning, factory automation, and home appliances. The new drivers are also used in power and energy applications including charging stations, energy storage systems, power-factor correction (PFC), DC/DC converters, and solar inverters.
The STGAP3S product family includes different options with 10A and 6A current capability, each of them available with differentiated Under Voltage Lock-Out (UVLO) and desaturation intervention thresholds. This helps designers select the best device to match the performance of their chosen SiC MOSFET or IGBT power switches.
The Desaturation protection implements an overload and short-circuit protection for the external power switch providing the possibility to adjust the turn-off strategy using an external resistor to maximize the protection turn-off speed while avoiding excessive overvoltage spikes. The undervoltage-lockout protection prevents turn-on with insufficient drive voltage.
The driver’s integrated Miller Clamp architecture provides a pre-driver for an external N-channel MOSFET. Designers can thus leverage flexibility to select a suitable intervention speed that prevents induced turn-on and avoids cross conduction.
The available device variants allow a choice of 10A sink/source and 6A sink/source drive-current capability for optimum performance with the chosen power switch with desaturation-detection and UVLO thresholds optimized for IGBT or SiC technology. The fault conditions of desaturation, UVLO and overtemperature protection are notified with two dedicated open drain diagnostic pins.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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ROHM Co., Ltd.’s financial report for the six months ending September 30, 2024, reveals a challenging period characterized by a decline in net sales and profitability. The company’s net sales dropped by 3.0% year-over-year to ¥232,022 million. This decline reflects a mix of robust demand in certain markets, such as automotive electronics, which increased sales in SiC power devices, and growth in the computer and storage sectors. However, these gains were offset by significant sales declines in the industrial equipment market.
Key financial metrics deteriorated, with ROHM reporting an operating loss of ¥974 million, a reversal from a profit of ¥29,833 million in the prior year. Factors influencing this loss include lower sales volumes, reduced production due to inventory adjustments, and higher costs associated with expanding SiC device production and adopting eight-inch wafers. The ordinary profit also declined to a loss of ¥129 million, impacted by foreign exchange losses. Profit attributable to shareholders dropped by 94.5% to ¥2,068 million, primarily due to reduced gains on securities sales.
ROHM’s EBITDA also saw a decrease, down 35.8% to ¥39,344 million. Segment-wise, integrated circuits and discrete semiconductor devices faced declines, with IC sales down 2.9% and segment profit down 54.8%. Power devices in the automotive sector performed well, but broader semiconductor device sales suffered from subdued demand in the industrial equipment sector. In contrast, modules and resistors segments showed marginal growth, supported by increased demand for smartphone sensor modules and high-power resistors for automotive applications.
Looking forward, ROHM expects continuing economic and industry challenges, such as slowing EV market growth, prolonged inventory adjustments in industrial equipment, and fluctuating consumer demand. As a result, ROHM has revised its forecast, projecting full-year sales to decrease by 3.8% to ¥450,000 million, alongside anticipated losses in operating profit and ordinary profit. The company plans to proceed with production adjustments, aiming for future alignment with customer demand, particularly in energy-efficient solutions and advanced power devices.
Original – ROHM
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Axcelis Technologies, Inc. announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024. The Company reported third quarter revenue of $256.6 million, compared to $256.5 million for the second quarter of 2024. Gross margin for the quarter was 42.9%, compared to 43.8% in the second quarter. Operating profit for the quarter was $46.9 million, compared to $52.8 million for the second quarter. Net income for the quarter was $48.6 million, or $1.49 per diluted share, compared to $50.9 million, or $1.55 per diluted share in the second quarter.
President and CEO Russell Low commented, “Axcelis executed well in the third quarter with results relatively in-line with our expectations. While we anticipate a near term digestion of mature node capacity through the first half of 2025, customer engagement is strong and our long-term growth opportunity remains squarely intact highlighted by attractive secular growth in silicon carbide, a cyclical recovery in our memory and general mature markets, market share gains in advanced logic and regional penetration of the Japan market.”
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jamie Coogan said, “We are pleased with the financial performance delivered by our team thus far in 2024. Our cash generation remains strong, we are engaging with customers across a number of key growth opportunities, and we are investing in our product roadmaps while maintaining discipline in our overall cost structure. All of this, when coupled with our strong balance sheet, put us in position to capture the growth opportunities that lie ahead and drive long-term value creation for shareholders.”
For the fourth quarter ending December 31, 2024, Axcelis expects revenues of approximately $245 million, and earnings per diluted share of approximately $1.25.
Original – Axcelis Technologies
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Veeco Instruments Inc. announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2024. Results are reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and are also reported adjusting for certain items (“Non-GAAP”). A reconciliation between GAAP and Non-GAAP operating results is provided at the end of this press release.
Third Quarter 2024 Highlights:
- Revenue of $184.8 million, compared with $177.4 million in the same period last year
- GAAP net income of $22.0 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, compared with $24.6 million, or $0.42 per diluted share in the same period last year
- Non-GAAP net income of $28.3 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, compared with $31.0 million, or $0.53 per diluted share in the same period last year
“Veeco reported solid third quarter results above the mid-point of our guidance, led by record Semiconductor revenue,” commented Bill Miller, Ph.D., Veeco’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our Semiconductor business grew 26% year-over-year and 13% sequentially, highlighted by an increase in shipments to leading-edge customers across several product lines. Our portfolio of enabling technologies is gaining traction for several industry inflections, contributing to our expectations for our Semiconductor business to outperform WFE growth for the 4th consecutive year.”
Original – Veeco Instruments
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced results for the fiscal third quarter ended September 28, 2024.
Highlights
- 3Q 2024 revenues of $735.4 million
- Gross margin was 20.5% and included the negative impact of approximately 150 basis points related to the addition of Newport
- GAAP loss per share of ($0.14); adjusted EPS of $0.08 per share
- 3Q 2024 book-to-bill of 0.88 with book-to-bill of 0.79 for semiconductors and 0.97 for passive components
- Backlog at quarter end was 4.4 months
“For the third consecutive quarter this year, revenue has held fairly constant, reflecting a prolonged period of inventory de-stocking as the pace of consumption by industrial customers remains slow, backlogs are pushed out and macroeconomic conditions in Europe worsen,” said Joel Smejkal, President and CEO. “While the industry remains in a downcycle, we are making the necessary adjustments to manage costs while continuing to execute our five-year strategic plan. We are preparing to participate fully in the next industry up-cycle and we are putting the foundation in place to capitalize on the longer term demand catalysts of e-mobility and sustainability to drive faster revenue growth, and improve profitability and returns on invested capital.”
For the fourth quarter of 2024, management expects revenues in the range of $720 million +/- $20 million, with gross profit margin in the range of 20.0% +/- 50 basis points, including the negative impact of approximately 175 to 200 basis points from the addition of Newport.
Original – Vishay Intertechnology
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Navitas Semiconductor has announced the world’s first 8.5 kW power supply unit (PSU), powered by GaN and SiC technologies to achieve 98% efficiency, for next-generation AI and hyperscale data centers.
The AI-optimized 54V output PSU complies with Open Compute Project (OCP) and Open Rack v3 (ORv3) specifications and utilizes high-power GaNSafe and Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs configured in 3-phase interleaved PFC and LLC topologies, to ensure the highest efficiency and performance, with lowest component count. The PSU’s shift to a 3-phase topology for both the PFC and LLC (vs. 2-phase topologies used by competing PSUs) enables the industry’s lowest ripple current and EMI.
Furthermore, the PSU reduces the number of GaN and SiC devices by 25% compared with the nearest competing system, which reduces the overall cost. The PSU has an input voltage range of 180 to 264 Vac, a standby output voltage of 12 V, and an operating temperature range of -5oC to 45oC. Its hold-up time at 8.5 kW is 10 ms, with 20 ms possible through an extender.
The 3-Phase LLC topology is enabled by high-power GaNSafe, which is specifically created for demanding, high-power applications, such as AI data centers and industrial markets. Navitas’ 4th generation integrates control, drive, sensing, and critical protection features that enable unprecedented reliability and robustness. GaNSafe is the world’s safest GaN with short-circuit protection (350ns max latency), 2kV ESD protection on all pins, elimination of negative gate drive, and programmable slew rate control. All these features are controlled with 4-pins, allowing the package to be treated like a discrete GaN FET, requiring no VCC pin. Suitable for applications from 1 kW to 22 kW, 650 V GaNSafe in TOLL and TOLT packages are available with a range of RDS(ON)MAX from 25 to 98 mΩ.
The 3-Phase interleaved CCM TP-PFC is powered by Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs with ‘trench-assisted planar’ technology, which has been enabled by over 20 years of SiC innovation leadership and offers world-leading performance over temperature, delivering cool-running, fast-switching, and superior robustness to support faster charging EVs and up to 3x more powerful AI data centers.
“This complete wide bandgap solution of GaN and SiC enables the continuation of Navitas’ AI power roadmap which enables this 8.5kW and plans to drive to 12kW & higher in the near-term”, said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas. “As many as 95% of the world’s data centers cannot support the power demands of servers running NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell GPUs, highlighting a readiness gap in the ecosystem. This PSU design directly addresses these challenges for AI and hyperscale data centers.”
The PSU will be on display for the first time at Electronica 2024 (Hall C 3, booth 129, November 12th– 15th).
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
