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FORVIA HELLA, an international automotive supplier, has selected the new CoolSiC™ Automotive MOSFET 1200 V from Infineon Technologies AG for its next generation 800 V DCDC charging solution. Designed for on-board charger and DCDC applications in 800 V automotive architectures, Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFET comes in a Q-DPAK package. The device uses top-side cooling (TSC) technology, which enables excellent thermal performance, easier assembly and lower system costs.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with FORVIA HELLA, leveraging our high-efficiency SiC products based on TSC packages,” said Robert Hermann, Vice President of Automotive High-Voltage Chips and Discretes at Infineon. “We are continuously working to take e-mobility to the next level by providing state-of-the-art SiC solutions that meet the automotive industry’s stringent requirements for performance, quality, and system cost.”
“Our customers are at the center of our efforts. That is why we have chosen Infineon’s CoolSiC Automotive MOSFET 1200 V for our next generation of DCDC converters”, said Guido Schütte, Member of the Electronics Executive Board at FORVIA HELLA. “Together with Infineon, we will continue to offer sustainable and innovative products and comprehensive services that exceed our customers’ expectations and drive the development of advanced mobility.”
Infineon’s new CoolSiC Automotive MOSFET 1200 V in the Q-DPAK package is based on Gen1p technology and offers a drive voltage in the range of V GS(off)= 0 V and V GS(on)= 20 V. The 0 V turn-off enables unipolar gate control, which simplifies design by reducing the number of components in the PCB.
With a creepage distance of 4.8 mm, the package achieves an operating voltage of over 900 V without the need for additional insulation coating. Compared to backside cooling, the TSC technology ensures optimized PCB assembly, reducing parasitic effects and resulting in significantly lower leakage inductances. As a result, customers benefit from lower package parasitics and lower switching losses. Heat dissipation is further improved by diffusion soldering the chip with .XT technology.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Forge Nano, Inc. announced the completion of its new semiconductor cleanroom. The 2,000 sq ft cleanroom enables Forge Nano to manufacture multiple commercial TEPHRA™ ALD cluster tools to accommodate growing equipment demand from the semiconductor market.
Forge Nano announced the expansion of its semiconductor ALD business in 2024 with the launch of TEPHRA – its new 200mm wafer atomic layer deposition cluster tool. Forge Nano’s ability to coat single wafers at 10x the throughput of traditional ALD systems has significantly grown customer demand thus requiring an expansion of the Company’s manufacturing capacity and addition of a demonstration space.
“The Forge Nano TEPHRA can enable conformal metal barrier seed layers for through silicon (TSVs) and through glass vias (TGVs) at aspect ratios greater than 25:1 at production speeds,” said Matt Weimer, Director of R&D at Forge Nano. “We’re showcasing the capabilities of our atomic layer deposition solution for wafers, which we expect to position the company as a key enabler for advanced packaging and 3D chip integration.”
The new cleanroom provides a Class 10 (ISO 4) space for processing sensitive customer samples and includes a metrology lab for advanced thin-film measurement and particle inspection. The remainder of the cleanroom will house Forge Nano’s own internal TEPHRA tool and provide space to build multiple customer tools, serving as a dual operating space for demonstrations and manufacturing. In addition to increased manufacturing space, this expansion is poised to accelerate Forge Nano’s ability to provide proof-of-concept and commercial solution validation to manufacturers planning to integrate new ALD processes.
Powered by Forge Nano’s ALDx technology, which offers ultrathin, uniform, pinhole-free films with an unprecedented 10x throughput for single-wafer processing, TEPHRA is dedicated to the manufacturing of specialty semiconductor applications on 200mm wafers and below. With efficient chemical use, rapid cycle times, increased yield, and low-risk manufacturing, TEPHRA is the only single-wafer cluster tool with commercial throughput speeds serving 200mm applications in advanced packaging, power semiconductor, radio frequency devices (RFD), microLEDs, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and more.
Forge Nano expects to deliver TEPHRA tools in early 2025. Forge Nano is offering on-site TEPHRA demonstrations to new and existing customers starting in early 2025. For more details on how to participate in the upcoming demonstration, please visit: https://www.forgenano.com/semiconductors
For more information on Forge Nano’s TEPHRA product, visit the TEPHRA product page at: https://www.forgenano.com/products/tephra
Original – Forge Nano
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced 16 new 650 V and 1200 V silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diodes in the industry-standard SOT-227 package. Designed to deliver high speed and efficiency for high frequency applications, the Vishay Semiconductors devices offer the best trade-off between capacitive charge (QC) and forward voltage drop for diodes in their class.
The devices consist of 40 A to 240 A dual diode components in a parallel configuration, and 50 A and 90 A single phase bridge devices. Built on state of the art thin wafer technology, the diodes feature a low forward voltage drop down to 1.36 V that dramatically reduces conduction losses for increased efficiency. Further increasing efficiency, the devices offer better reverse recovery parameters than Si-based diodes and have virtually no recovery tail.
Typical applications for the components will include AC/DC PFC and DC/DC ultra high frequency output rectification in FBPS and LLC converters for photovoltaic systems, charging stations, industrial UPS, and telecom power supplies. In these applications, the diodes’ low QC down to 56 nC allows for high speed switching, while their industry-standard package offers a drop-in replacement for competing solutions.
The diodes deliver high temperature operation to +175 °C and a positive temperature coefficient for easy parallelling. UL-approved to file E78996, the devices feature a large creepage distance between terminals and a simplified mechanical design for rapid assembly.
Original – Vishay Intertechnology
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Infineon Technologies AG introduced new isolated gate driver ICs for electric vehicles to enhance its EiceDRIVER™ family. The devices are designed for the latest IGBT and SiC technologies. Furthermore, they support Infineon’s new HybridPACK™ Drive G2 Fusion module, the first plug’n’play power module that implements a combination of Infineon’s silicon and silicon carbide (SiC) technologies.
The pre-configured third-generation EiceDRIVER products, 1EDI302xAS (IGBT) and 1EDI303xAS (SiC/ Fusion), are AEC-qualified and ISO 26262-compliant, ideal for traction inverters in cost-effective and high-performant xEV platforms.
The devices 1EDI3025AS, 1EDI3026AS and 1EDI3035AS provide a strong output stage of 20 A and drive high-performance inverters of all power classes up to over 300 kW. The variants 1EDI3028AS and 1EDI3038AS with an output stage of 15 A are ideal for use in entry-level battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) inverters as well as for the excitation circuit of externally excited synchronous machines (EESM). In addition, the devices are equipped with the new tunable soft-off feature, which provides excellent short-circuit performance to support the latest SiC and IGBT technologies.
Various monitoring functions, such as an integrated self-test for desaturation protection (DESAT) and overcurrent protection (OCP), improve the handling of latent system errors while the new primary and secondary safe-state interface enables versatile system safety concepts. In addition, a continuously sampling 12-bit delta-sigma ADC with integrated current source can read the voltage directly from temperature measurement diodes or an NTC.
The gate drivers also provide reinforced insulation according to VDE 0884-17:2021-10 to enable safe isolation following standardized qualification and production testing procedures. Furthermore, the compact package (PG-DSO-20) and excellent compatibility with the latest power stage technologies help customers to drive system integration and reduce design cycle times.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Qorvo® announced financial results for the Company’s fiscal 2025 third quarter ended December 28, 2024. On a GAAP basis, revenue for Qorvo’s fiscal 2025 third quarter was $916.3 million, gross margin was 42.7%, operating income was $53.0 million, and diluted earnings per share was $0.43. On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin was 46.5%, operating income was $177.9 million, and diluted earnings per share was $1.61.
Bob Bruggeworth, president and chief executive officer of Qorvo, said, “Qorvo is executing on a broad set of strategic initiatives to expand margin, generate strong free cash flow, and increase shareholder value. During the December quarter, we continued to successfully support our largest customer, who represented approximately 50% of sales. Within our Android 5G product portfolio, we are narrowing our focus to the higher-value flagship and premium tiers, where customers value Qorvo’s differentiated products. In HPA, we had record Defense & Aerospace quarterly revenue and expect continued strength in the March quarter. As we continue to execute on our growth and diversification strategy, we expect HPA and CSG to deliver double-digit growth in fiscal 2025 and next fiscal year.”
Financial Commentary and Outlook
Grant Brown, chief financial officer of Qorvo, said, “Qorvo exceeded the midpoint of our December quarter non-GAAP guidance in revenue, gross margin, and EPS. During the quarter, we took proactive steps to change how we support our Android business. These actions will reduce operating expense and are expected to benefit gross margin in our fiscal 2026. Subsequent to the quarter, we divested our silicon carbide business. These actions, in aggregate, are expected to support a high-40%’s gross margin in seasonally strong quarters of fiscal 2026 and additional gross margin improvement in fiscal 2027.”
Qorvo’s current outlook for the March 2025 quarter is:
- Quarterly revenue of approximately $850 million, plus or minus $25 million
- Non-GAAP gross margin between 43% and 44%
- Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share between $0.90 and $1.10
Original – Qorvo
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Power Integrations announced MotorXpert™ v3.0, a software suite for configuration, control and sensing of BLDC inverters that utilize the company’s BridgeSwitch™ motor-driver ICs. The latest release of the software incorporates Power Integrations’ shuntless and sensorless technology for field-oriented control (FOC), adding support for advanced modulation schemes and unconditional startup under any load condition, along with significant improvements to the host user interface and debugging tools.
Cristian Ionescu-Catrina, product marketing manager at Power Integrations said: “MotorXpert simplifies single- and three-phase sensorless motor-drive designs. In this version 3.0 release, we have added a two-phase modulation scheme, which is ideal for applications that work in high temperature environments such as hot-water circulation pumps. The new modulation reduces inverter switching losses by 33 percent. Version 3.0 also features a five-fold improvement to our waveform visualization tool and an enhanced zoom function, giving developers substantially more information for motor tuning and debugging.”
MotorXpert 3.0 comprises three main sections:
- Sophisticated mathematical algorithms resident on the local MCU or DSP construct accurate feedback signals from the BridgeSwitch IC and provide real-time control of the switching patterns.
- A host-side application interprets inverter actions and displays critical data in actionable format for engineering analysis.
- The easy-to-use control interface permits development engineers to experiment and quickly converge to a final product.
MotorXpert suite is MCU-agnostic and includes a comprehensive porting guide to simplify deployment with a wide range of MCUs. It is implemented in common C language to MISRA standards.
The MotorXpert v3.0 host-side application includes a graphical user interface with Power Integrations’ digital oscilloscope visualization tool that makes it easy to design and configure parameters and operation and simplifies debugging. Parameter tool tips and a tuning assistant improve the development process, and the intuitive parameter list provides easy motor tuning.
The new version also features both V/F and I/F control, which permits motor startup in any load condition. A selectable two-phase modulation scheme allows developers to trade off temperature of the inverter vs torque ripple which is beneficial in applications such as hot water circulation pumps, reducing heatsinking requirements and enclosure cost. Development time is greatly reduced by the included single- and three-phase code libraries with sensorless support, reference designs, and other tools such as a power supply design and analysis tool.
The BridgeSwitch IC is a half-bridge motor driver of low RDSON FREDFET switches, controllers and drivers in a thermally efficient package. Sensorless feedback, fault reporting, and self and load protection are also available for applications from 30 W to 1 HP (750 W).
Applications include indoor and outdoor air conditioning fans, refrigerator compressors, fluid pumps, washing machine and dryer drums, range hoods, industrial fans and heat pumps.
MotorXpert v3.0 is available at no cost with an end-user license agreement. The software suite comes with a quick start guide, software manual, MCU porting guide, single- and three-phase software libraries and a video tutorial. For further information, contact a Power Integrations sales representative or one of the company’s authorized worldwide distributors— DigiKey, Newark, Mouser and RS Components, or visit power.com.
Original – Power Integrations
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Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) reported fourth quarter revenue of $4.01 billion, net income of $1.21 billion and earnings per share of $1.30. Earnings per share included a 2-cent benefit that was not in the company’s original guidance.
Regarding the company’s performance and returns to shareholders, Haviv Ilan, TI’s president and CEO, made the following comments:
- “Revenue decreased 3% sequentially and 2% from the same quarter a year ago.
- “Our cash flow from operations of $6.3 billion for the trailing 12 months again underscored the strength of our business model, the quality of our product portfolio and the benefit of 300mm production. Free cash flow for the same period was $1.5 billion.
- “Over the past 12 months we invested $3.8 billion in R&D and SG&A, invested $4.8 billion in capital expenditures and returned $5.7 billion to owners.
- “TI’s first quarter outlook is for revenue in the range of $3.74 billion to $4.06 billion and earnings per share between $0.94 and $1.16. We now expect our 2025 effective tax rate to be about 12%.”
Original – Texas Instruments
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Wolfspeed, Inc. introduced its new Gen 4 technology platform, which enables design rooted in durability and efficiency, all while reducing system cost and development time. Engineered to simplify switching behaviors and design challenges commonly experienced in high-power designs, Gen 4 charts a long-term roadmap across Wolfspeed’s product categories, including power modules, discrete components, and bare die products. These products are currently available in the 750V, 1200V and 2300V classes.
“We understand that each application’s design comes with a unique set of requirements,” said Jay Cameron, senior vice president of Wolfspeed power products. “From its inception, our goal for Gen 4 has been to improve overall system efficiency in real-world operating environments, with a focus on delivering maximum performance at the system level. Gen 4 enables design engineers to create more efficient, longer-lasting systems that perform well in tough operating environments at a better overall system cost.”
Silicon carbide technology is one of the fastest growing components of both the power device market and the greater semiconductor industry. A superior alternative to silicon, silicon carbide is ideal for high power applications – such as EV powertrains, e-mobility, renewable energy systems, battery energy storage systems, and AI data centers – that unlocks improved performance and lower system costs.
As the U.S. and the globe pursue more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to meet the world’s ever-increasing need for high-voltage energy sources, it is crucial that the U.S. continue to make strategic investments to cement its technological dominance, while continuing to spur American innovation in critical technologies.
Wolfspeed is the only silicon carbide producer with both silicon carbide material and silicon carbide device fabrication facilities based in the United States, a factor that is becoming increasingly important under the new U.S. Administration’s increased focus on national security and investment in U.S. semiconductor production.
“Innovative technology unlocks business opportunity,” said Devin Dilley, president and chief product officer, EPC Power, a U.S.-based utility-scale inverter manufacturer. “Wolfspeed’s new Gen 4 SiC technology is enabling EPC Power to make a paradigm shift in how energy is created and stored globally.”
“As the world-leader in silicon carbide technology, based on American IP and delivered through U.S.-based fabrication facilities, Wolfspeed has been relentless in our drive to continue to innovate and bring our silicon carbide solutions to more and more industries with increasingly challenging use cases,” said Wolfspeed Executive Chairman, Tom Werner. “Our Gen 4 platform will be delivered via our highly efficient 200mm wafers, which will enable us to deliver products on a scale and level of yield not seen in this industry before.”
Wolfspeed’s Gen 4 platform was designed to comprehensively improve system efficiency and prolong application life, even in harshest of environments, while helping to reduce system cost and development time. The technology will deliver significant performance enhancements for designers of high-power automotive, industrial, and renewable energy systems, with key benefits including:
- Holistic System Efficiency: Delivering up to a 21% reduction in on-resistance at operating temperatures with up to 15% lower switching losses.
- Durability: Ensuring reliable performance, including a short-circuit withstand time of up to 2.3 µS to provide additional safety margin.
- Lower System Cost: Streamlining design processes to reduce system costs and development time.
Learn more in Wolfspeed’s white paper “Gen 4 Silicon Carbide Technology: Redefining Performance and Durability in High-Power Applications”.
Wolfspeed’s Gen 4 products are available in 750V, 1200V and 2300V nodes, with options for power modules, discrete components, and bare die products. New product introductions, including additional footprints and RDSON ranges, will be available throughout 2025 and early 2026.
Original – Wolfspeed
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Analog Devices, Inc. announced the appointment of Andrea F. Wainer, a seasoned healthcare executive, to its Board of Directors as an independent director. She will also serve as a member of the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
“We are delighted to welcome Andrea to the ADI Board, as her deep experience and leadership in the healthcare sector will provide ADI with an important source of wisdom and knowledge as we navigate the rich opportunity landscape ahead of us,” said Vincent Roche, ADI’s CEO and Chair.
Wainer is a highly versatile, results-oriented leader with expertise leading innovative businesses at Abbott Laboratories (Abbott), Pfizer and Astellas Pharma. Since 2019, she has served as Executive Vice President, Rapid and Molecular Diagnostics at Abbott. In this role, she leads three businesses – one focused on molecular diagnostics and the analysis of DNA and RNA at the molecular level, the second a provider of rapid point-of-care diagnostics, and the third delivers a leading hand-held point-of-care device.
Previous roles held include President, Abbott Molecular Diagnostics; President, Abbott Animal Health; and Divisional Vice President/General Manager, Abbott Renal Care.
Wainer also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Goodman Theatre.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the John M. Olin School of Business, Washington University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Original – Analog Devices
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Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) announced the launch of the EPC91104, a high-performance 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter reference design. This innovative design is ideal for powering compact, precision motors in humanoid robots, such as those used for wrist, finger, and toe movements.
The EPC91104 evaluation board uses the EPC23104 ePower™ Stage IC, offering a maximum RDS(on) of 11 mΩ and supporting DC bus voltages up to 80 V. The design supports up to 14 Apk steady-state and 20 Apk pulsed current, ensuring reliable performance for humanoid robot applications that require fine motor control and precision.
Key Features of the EPC91104
- Wide Voltage Range: Operates between 14 V and 80 V, accommodating a variety of battery systems
- Compact Design: Suitable for space-constrained robotics
- Advanced Protection: Includes overcurrent and input undervoltage protection, ensuring reliability in demanding applications
- Optimized Efficiency: Low-distortion switching reduces torque ripple and motor noise
Humanoid robots demand motors with precision and compactness, and the EPC91104 is specifically designed to meet those needs for applications like small joint actuation,
said Alex Lidow, CEO of EPCFor higher-current requirements, such as elbow and knee motors in humanoid robots, EPC offers the EPC9176 board in the same family. With enhanced current capacity, the EPC9176 complements the EPC91104 to cover a full range of motor drive applications in humanoid robotics.
The EPC91104 is compatible with controller boards from leading manufacturers, including Microchip, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, and Renesas, offering engineers flexibility in development. It is equipped with comprehensive sensing and protection features, ensuring rapid prototyping and testing.
Original – Efficient Power Conversion
