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Navitas Semiconductor announced another GaNFast win at Samsung, this time a new 25W charger for the flagship Galaxy S23 smartphone. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a next-gen power-semi technology that is replacing legacy silicon chips in markets from mobile and consumer to data center, solar and EV.
The high-spec Galaxy S23 features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz screen with 1750 nits peak contrast, stretching it’s 1080 x 2340 pixels across 90.1 cm2 of Corning Gorilla Glass. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, up to 512GB / 8GB RAM of storage and triple cameras up to 50 MP, the S23 excels in mobile communication performance.
For power, the S23 features a 3900 mAh Li-Ion battery, and with the GaNFast 25W charger (model EP-T2510) with USB PD 3.0 interface, reaches 50% charge in only 30 minutes, and while in sleep mode, consumes only 5 mW of power. The PD 3.0 specification means that the new charger can power a range of devices from Galaxy Buds2 audio to Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Flip and Galaxy A23.
Navitas’ GaNFast technology is used in a high-frequency, quasi-resonant (HFQR) topology running at 150 kHz. GaNFast leading-edge, high-frequency performance shrinks the charger by more than 30%, and the Navitas device is fully qualified to Samsung’s stringent qualification requirements, with excellent delivery performance, quality and reliability.
“As pioneers in mobile fast charging, Navitas continues to lead the next-gen market, with all 10 of the top 10 mobile OEMs in production with GaNFast products,” said David Carroll, Sr. VP Worldwide Sales. “From 25 W to 20 MW, our expanding range of leading-edge GaN and SiC products cover everything from mobile and consumer to EVs, solar and industrial applications.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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GaN / LATEST NEWS / SiC / WBG2 Min Read
“The 31st International Optoelectronics Exposition (OPTO Taiwan)”, organized by Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association, is taking place in Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall 1 from October 25th to 27th, for a three-day technological extravaganza. As a leading company in semiconductor technology, GlobalWafers unveils its latest achievements in compound semiconductors.
At this year’s exposition, GlobalWafers features 8”N type SiC crystal growth technology, Thinning technology of 6”and 8”SiC wafers, and high-value niche products in the GaN epitaxy field, demonstrating its technical prowess honed over many years in the compound semiconductor industry. SiC crystal growth presents challenges due to the need for growth in extremely high-temperature sealed environments, with factors like hot zone design and crucible materials in crystal growth furnace adding the complexity to equipment and operations.
GlobalWafers independently designs and develops 8”SiC-specific Physical Vapor Transport Method Grower (PVT) to further reduce crystal growth costs while achieving higher material quality control. Through outstanding technical control and production efficiency, as well as continuous research and development, GlobalWafers overcomes the technical challenges of SiC crystal growth, successfully moving forward to 8 inches, providing customers with high-quality, superior-performance SiC materials.
The high hardness and brittleness of SiC make subsequent wafering process extremely challenging. Leveraging its edge in wafer processing, GlobalWafers has successfully developed SiC ultra-thin thinning technology, showcasing 6” 90µm and 8”350µm ultra-thin polished SiC wafers at the exhibition. Ultra-thin SiC wafers offer advantages in lightweighting, heat dissipation, thermal conductivity, high-frequency operation, component miniaturization, and material costs, making them an ideal choice for high-performance semiconductor devices.
GlobalWafers’ SiC wafers include 4”~ 6” semi-insulating wafers and 6”~ 8”conductive SiC wafers, offering a comprehensive range of products to cater for diverse customer needs and expand into various fields of application.
Heteroepitaxy of GaN poses various technical challenges, such as lattice mismatch, stress, and defects. GlobalWafers focuses on research and development, launching a full range of GaN heteroepitaxy products, including silicon, SiC and sapphire substrates. A variety of substrate selections can meet different requirements and expand terminal applications in an all-round way.
With its wealth of semiconductor substrate technology and years of industry experience, GlobalWafers has been able to give full play to our strengths and provide more advanced and high-efficiency solutions for the rapidly growing electric vehicle market.
Original – GlobalWafers
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GaN / LATEST NEWS / WBG2 Min Read
GaN Systems announced that it will demonstrate the latest breakthroughs of GaN for sustainable and cost-effective power designs at the 2023 China Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Congress and the 26th China Power Supply Society Annual Conference & Exhibition (CPEEC & CPSSC 2023), taking place on November 10-13, 2023, in Guangzhou, China.
Finals of the Annual “GaN Systems Cup” Power Electronics Application Design Competition will kick off concurrently. GaN Systems, as the primary sponsor for nine consecutive years, will participate in the opening ceremony and recognize the winners at the award ceremony.
While power efficiency is at the forefront of global policymaking, advancements in power electronics have gained importance, and talent remains the cornerstone of these advancements. The “GaN Systems Cup” Competition provides a podium for aspiring young engineers to challenge themselves and unlock the full potential of power electronics with GaN power semiconductors.
This year, out of the 68 teams from 46 colleges and universities that participated, 24 qualify for finals. The finalists will present prototype designs for a three-phase inverter using GaN Systems’ power transistors. The panel of judges comprised of experts from the industry and academia will evaluate these prototype designs based on performance in efficiency and power density.
Explore New Opportunities for Power Electronics at the CPEEC & CPSSC 2023
GaN Systems will showcase the latest reference designs for automotive, data center, and consumer industries at Booth 3-026. Its representatives will also be available to discuss the step-function performance boost and industry-leading figures of merit of recently released Gen4 power platform.
Original – GaN Systems
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GaN Valley™ is a connected ecosystem along the value chain of GaN technologies, products and electrical systems. It spans research and innovation (such as top-notch universities & RTOs), IDMs, Fabless Companies (including a growing industry of GaN start-ups & scale-ups), GaN Foundries, multi-market customers, as well as various Government Innovation instances.
Okmetic is now a part of GaN Valley™ community and looks forward to cooperation with other members in the GaN ecosystem!
Okmetic supplies substrate wafers for both RF and Power GaN devices. Its silicon substrate wafers are designed to endure the demanding GaN epitaxial process conditions and provide reduced wafer bow and warpage.
Original – Okmetic
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GaN / LATEST NEWS / WBG4 Min Read
In the world of electric vehicles (EVs), performance and efficiency are paramount. As the EV industry grows, power designers constantly strive to provide more power, reduce losses, minimize heat, and shrink system sizes. These requirements stem from the ongoing pursuit of lighter vehicles with extended ranges, reduced battery size, and lower overall system costs.
The continuous drive for improvement has led to accelerated adoption of a pivotal technology transforming the landscape of EV traction design: Gallium Nitride (GaN). Particularly noteworthy are the benefits of GaN in 400V and 800V battery traction inverter designs. The growing recognition of GaN’s exceptional performance, compared to conventional silicon and SiC alternatives, underscores its critical role in the future of the EV industry.
GaN-Powered 400V Battery Traction Inverters
GaN stands out as a transformative force for 400V battery-based traction inverters—delivering the benefits that designers expect. With GaN, efficiency increases, resulting in nearly 40% reduction in power loss. Additionally, GaN power semiconductors enable a 33% increase in power density, reducing the overall size and weight of the traction inverter. Altogether, the reduced losses and smaller size result in EVs with lower costs and longer driving range, meeting critical consumer requirements.
GaN’s Emergence in 800V Battery Traction Inverters
In 800V battery-based traction inverters, the adoption of GaN-based three-level topology (3LT) is a growing trend. The demonstrated benefits are numerous.
- Higher Overall Efficiency: In addition to minimizing switching losses and increasing efficiency in the inverter, the GaN 3LT solution also reduces high-frequency copper and iron losses in the filters and motor. The inverter plus motor combined efficiency gains translates to incrementally higher efficiency compared to two-level solutions.
- Lower Noise, Harshness, and EMI Interference: The GaN 3LT generates an output voltage with a sinusoidal-like shape, resulting in reduced dV/dt and lower harmonics. The 3LT output reduces filtering requirements and minimizes high-frequency losses in filters and motors, resulting in lower noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) characteristics. It also operates with a low common voltage, reducing insulation stress and electromagnetic interference (EMI).
- Increased Durability and Reliability: Operating at a lower common voltage also means the peak common mode voltage is suppressed, which reduces the potential for common mode voltage spikes, ensuring a smoother and more stable circuit operation. Furthermore, the 3LT decreases the strain on electric motor bearings. These operating characteristics contribute to a prolonged lifespan with increased durability and reliability.
The EV Market
EVs are at their tipping point, with more than 10 million electric cars sold worldwide in 2022, and sales are expected to grow by 35% this year to reach 14 million cars. Meeting consumer, regulatory, and OEM expectations means peak performance is critical, and this requires a holistic approach that factors in both the inverter and motor considerations. Multi-level GaN is emerging as the lynchpin, offering a range of advantages. Notably, GaN fosters high efficiency at the system level while bolstering overall system reliability.
For example, consider the all-GaN vehicle developed in collaboration with Toyota and Nagoya University teams. The All GaN Vehicle features multiple power applications of GaN in the car: in the traction inverter, the On-Board Charger (OBC), and the DC-DC converter. GaN increased power density and improved efficiency by 20% over silicon, extending the car’s driving range.
Meanwhile, Ricardo, a highly regarded global engineering firm, designed and compared a GaN inverter to a SIC-based inverter. Their test results of the 30kW inverter application demonstrated a 25% reduction in power loss and a 33% increase in power density with GaN compared to SiC. Several Tier1 and OEM automotive companies have realized similar results with traction designs up to 250kW.
In an era of EV innovation, GaN is a driving force accelerating performance and efficiency in both 400V and 800V traction inverters. With the EV industry advancing towards worldwide mass acceptance, the time for GaN adoption is now. The compelling results from rigorous testing and real-world applications point to GaN as the technology well-positioned to reshape the electric mobility landscape.
Original – GaN Systems
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Navitas Semiconductor announced its continued sponsorship of the 2023 China Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Congress & the 26th China Power Supply Society (CPSS) Conference and Exhibition (CPSSC 2023), revealing major next-generation gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor platforms, including GaNSafe™ – the world’s safest GaN power semiconductor.
Hosted in Guangzhou from November 10th-13th, CPSSC 2023 celebrates its 40th anniversary and promotes academic and technical exchange in the fields of power electronics, energy conversion, and power technology, to foster technical innovation and related industries.
Navitas is the technology and market leader in GaN, with over 100 million GaNFast™ power ICs shipped, and over 12 million GeneSiC™ power MOSFETs and diodes shipped into a $22 billion per year total market opportunity.
With GaNSafe, Navitas has optimized its 4th-generation GaN technology for demanding, high-power applications in data centers, solar / energy storage and EV markets, where efficiency, power density and robust & reliable operation are critical. Adopting a novel, robust, and cool-running surface-mount TOLL package, GaNSafe integrates features and functions, including:
- Protected, regulated, integrated gate-drive control, with zero gate-source loop inductance for reliable high-speed 2 MHz switching to maximize power density.
- High-speed short-circuit protection, with autonomous ‘detect and protect’ within 50 ns – 4x faster than competing discrete solutions.
- Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection of 2 kV, vs. zero for discrete GaN transistors.
- 650/ 800 V capability to aid survival during extraordinary application conditions.
- Easy-to-use, complete, high-power, high-reliability, high-performance power IC with only 4 pins, accelerating customer designs.
- Programmable turn-on and turn-off (dV/dt) to simplify EMI regulatory requirements.
Navitas’ CPSSC 2023 program includes comprehensive, in-depth technology, application and market presentations include a plenary keynote speech, full conference paper, four industrial sessions, a guest PSMA presentation, an in-depth 3.5-hour technology seminar and full GaNSafe launch. Visitors to the exhibition will discover ground-breaking technology demonstrations and complete power system platform designs at the Navitas booth.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor