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Resonac Corporation conducted a tour of its Packaging Solution Center (Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture), an R&D facility of backend process of semiconductor manufacturing, for 20 people, who were executives of semiconductor companies and leaders of academic societies and research institutions coming from US and European countries and taking part in the International Semiconductor Executive Summit (ISES) Japan Summit 2024 held in Tokyo from March 5th to 6th.
There were 150 participants in the ISES in total. PSC is an open innovation base for materials used in backend process, packaging and evaluation technologies, equipped with a full lineup of manufacturing equipment for advanced semiconductor packages. It is rare for a semiconductor material company to have such a base.
ISES is a summit meeting attended by executives and leaders of major semiconductor companies, equipment and material manufacturers, and academic societies and research institutions. Since 2010, it has been holding events in major regions such as the United States, Europe and Taiwan, and occupies an important position that influences industry trends and decisions as a platform for information exchange, strategy, and discussions on the direction of the semiconductor industry.
This time, it was held in Japan for the first time, and executives of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and leading semiconductor manufacturers including Intel, TSMC, Samsung and AMD gave lectures in the event.
In recent years, with the rapid expansion of generative AI, further evolution of AI semiconductors is required, and semiconductor backend process technologies including 2.xD and 3D package technologies, materials and manufacturing equipment are attracting attention of semiconductor industry stakeholders all over the world. In addition, the cutting-edge backend process materials and manufacturing equipment are areas where Japanese manufacturers lead the world.
This time, the participants of the ISES Japan Summit considered it a valuable opportunity to visit the PSC, which is equipped with Japan’s cutting-edge backend process materials and manufacturing equipment, and see 2.xD, 3D packages and their manufacturing equipment, and took part in the tour after the end of the second day of the summit meeting.
Resonac will continue to actively utilize the PSC to work on research and development of next-generation semiconductor package materials and evaluation/implementation technologies, and accelerate co-creation with other companies.
Original – Resonac
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Bourns, Inc. continues to broaden its sales channel partnerships in EMEA by signing that Cabcongroup as a new full line distributor partner. Effective immediately, the Cabcongroup was selected for their excellent customer relationships and strong technical and engineering experience.
“Bourns is seeing growing product demand across many regions in EMEA, and Cabcongroup gives us the opportunity to increase our customer base with their proven sales team expertise. This is a win-win for both organizations, and we are elated to find such an experienced and professional business partner for Northern Europe,” said Beverley McKnight, Distribution Sales Manager Northern Europe.
“We are thrilled to be selected to represent Bourns’ advanced components. As a well-established distributor, Cabcongroup has built an excellent reputation for superior customer support in the Nordic electronics market. We are confident in helping Bourns reach its sales goals due to our strengths in demand creation coupled with our close long-term customer relationships,” said Brian Dehlsen, Managing Director at Cabcongroup.
Original – Bourns
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Texas Instruments announced new environmental sustainability targets that expand the company’s use of renewable electricity over the next six years, with key milestones to reach 100% in its 300mm manufacturing operations by 2025, 100% in its U.S. operations by 2027, and 100% in its worldwide operations by 2030.
As the company expands its internal manufacturing capacity to support customer demand, these goals will ensure that TI’s industry-leading 300mm wafer fabs, as well as its newest assembly and test sites, will be entirely powered by renewable electricity.
“Our semiconductors play a critcal role in helping our customers developer smaller, more efficient and affordable technology that makes electrification, renewable energy and energy storage systems possible,” said Heidi Means, TI’s vice president of Worldwide Environmental, Safety and Health. “These short- and medium-term energy goals will continue TI’s positive trajectory to reduce our environmental impact while we continue to expand our manufacturing capacity to support our customers.”
TI has steadily grown its use of renewable electricity from a combination of sources including onsite solar and power purchase agreements (PPAs). Since 2020, the company has:
- Continued to increase its absolute use of renewable electricity annually.
- Shifted its operations in the Philippines, which includes two assembly and test sites, to 100% renewable electricity.
- Invested in the company’s first onsite, rooftop solar installation at its Bangalore, India, site.
- Started receiving more than 65MW of renewable electricity from its long-term PPA investments in wind and solar energy projects in North Texas.
Original – Texas Instruments
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Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has started mass production of a 3rd generation silicon carbide (SiC) 1700 V and drain current (DC) rating 250 A of SiC MOSFET module “MG250V2YMS3” for industrial equipment and has expanded its lineup.
The new product MG250V2YMS3 offers low conduction loss with low drain-source on-voltage (sense) of 0.8 V (typ.). It also offers low switching loss with low turn-on switching loss of 18 mJ (typ.) and low turn-off switching loss of 11 mJ (typ.). This helps to reduce power loss of equipment and the size of cooling device.
MG250V2YMS3 has a low stray inductance of 12 nH (typ.) and is capable of high-speed switching. In addition, it suppresses surge voltage in switching operation. Thus, it is available for high frequency isolated DC-DC converter.
Toshiba’s SiC MOSFET module of 2-153A1A package has a lineup of four existing products, MG250YD2YMS3 (2200 V / 250 A), MG400V2YMS3 (1700 V / 400 A), and MG600Q2YMS3 (1200 V / 600 A), including new products. This provides a wider range of product selection.
Toshiba will continue to meet the needs for high efficiency and the downsizing of industrial equipment.
Applications
Industrial equipment
- Inverters and converters for railway vehicles
- Auxiliary power supply for railway vehicles
- Renewable energy power generation systems
- Motor control equipment for industrial equipment
- High frequency DC-DC converters, etc.
Features
- Low drain-source on-voltage (sense):
VDS(on)sense=0.8 V (typ.) (ID=250 A, VGS=+20 V, Tch=25 °C) - Low turn-on switching loss:
Eon=18 mJ (typ.) (VDD=900 V, ID=250 A, Tch=150 °C) - Low turn-off switching loss:
Eoff=11 mJ (typ.) (VDD=900 V, ID=250 A, Tch=150 °C) - Low stray inductance:
LsPN=12 nH (typ.)
Original – Toshiba
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. and Nexperia B.V. announced in November 2023 that they had entered into an agreement that Vishay will acquire Nexperia’s wafer fabrication facility and operations located in Newport, South Wales, U.K.
At the time of that announcement, the closing of Newport wafer fab transaction was subject to UK government review, the purchase rights of a third party, and customary closing conditions. Nexperia is pleased to announce that all conditions to the sale have now been met and the sale of Newport wafer fab to Vishay is now finalised, today, 6th March, securing a future for its employees and for the site.
Original – Nexperia
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Infineon Technologies AG opens a new chapter in power systems and energy conversion and introduces the next generation of silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET trench technology. The new Infineon CoolSiC™ MOSFET 650 V and 1200 V Generation 2 improve MOSFET key performance figures such as stored energies and charges by up to 20 percent compared to the previous generation without compromising quality and reliability levels leading to higher overall energy efficiency and further contributing to decarbonization.
CoolSiC MOSFET Generation 2 (G2) technology continues to leverage performance capabilities of silicon carbide by enabling lower energy loss that turns into higher efficiency during power conversion. This provides strong benefits to customers for various power semiconductor applications such as photovoltaics, energy storage, DC EV charging, motor drives and industrial power supplies.
A DC fast charging station for electric vehicles which is equipped with CoolSiC G2 allows for up to 10 percent less power loss compared to previous generations, while enabling higher charging capacity without compromising form factors. Traction inverters based on CoolSiC G2 devices can further increase electric vehicle ranges. In the area of renewable energies, solar inverters designed with CoolSiC G2 make smaller sizes possible while maintaining a high power output, resulting in a lower cost per watt.
“Megatrends call for new and efficient ways to generate, transmit and consume energy. With the CoolSiC MOSFET G2, Infineon brings silicon carbide performance to a new level,” said Dr. Peter Wawer, Division President Green Industrial Power at Infineon.
“This new generation of SiC technology enables the accelerated design of more cost-optimized, compact, reliable, and highly efficient systems harvesting energy-savings and reducing CO 2 for every watt installed in the field. It’s a great example of Infineon’s relentless spirit, constantly pushing for innovation to drive decarbonization and digitalization in the industrial, consumer and automotive sectors.”
Contributing to high-performance CoolSiC G2 solutions, Infineon’s pioneer CoolSiC MOSFET trench technology provides an optimized design trade-off, allowing higher efficiency and reliability compared to SiC MOSFET technology available so far. Combined with the award-winning .XT packaging technology, Infineon is further increasing the potential of designs based on CoolSiC G2 with higher thermal conductivity, better assembly control and improved performance.
Mastering all relevant power technologies in silicon, silicon carbide and gallium nitride (GaN), Infineon offers design flexibility and leading-edge application know-how that meet the expectations and demands of modern designers. Innovative semiconductors based on wide-bandgap (WBG) materials like SiC and GaN are the key to conscious and efficient use of energy in fostering decarbonization.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited, a part of Tube Investments of India Limited and the Murugappa Group, Renesas Electronics Corporation and Stars Microelectronics (Thailand) Public Co. Ltd., a Thailand-based Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) provider; had recently signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) to establish a Joint Venture (JV) to build and operate an OSAT facility in India.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the project of the JV under India’s Semiconductor scheme on February 29, 2024.
The JV brings together unique capabilities of the partners with a vision to “Make in India for the World.” CG, with around 86 years of manufacturing expertise, is keen to build semiconductor capabilities and ecosystem in India. Renesas, a leading semiconductor company headquartered in Japan, will provide advanced semiconductor technology and expertise. Stars Microelectronics, a Thai based OSAT, will provide both technology for legacy packages and training and enablement.
The JV will be 92.3% owned by CG, with Renesas and Stars Microelectronics each holding equity capital of approximately 6.8% and 0.9%, respectively. The JV plans to invest INR 7,600 crores over a five-year period, which will be financed through a mix of subsidies, equity, and potential bank borrowings as required.
The JV will set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, with a capacity that will ramp up to 15 million units per day. The JV will manufacture a wide range of products – ranging from legacy packages such as QFN and QFP to advanced packages such as FC BGA, and FC CSP. The JV will cater to industries such as automotive, consumer, industrial, 5G, to name a few.
Commenting on this new venture, Mr. S. Vellayan, Chairman, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited, said, “CG’s entry into the semiconductor manufacturing marks a strategic diversification for us. Our partners, Renesas and Stars Microelectronics, will make our learning curves steeper and help us focus on innovation and excellence.
This is a very exciting phase for the entire nation, and we are very keen to build out India’s semiconductor capability and ecosystem.”
Mr. Natarajan Srinivasan, Managing Director, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited, added, “It is a matter of great pride for CG to implement this project of National importance.”
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Hidetoshi Shibata, CEO of Renesas said, “India is a critical part of Renesas’ business. We value its innovative landscape and robust potential growth and are committed to accelerating our investment in India. By partnering with the Murugappa Group and Stars Microelectronics, we will bolster India’s semiconductor ecosystem and address the growing semiconductor demand for the customers worldwide.”
Mr. Prompong Chaikul, Chairman of Executive Committee of Stars Microelectronics (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd added, “We are deeply honored to join forces in this thrilling venture. Leveraging our expertise and experience in OSAT, we are committed to providing robust support to ensure the success of this project in India.”
Original – Renesas Electronics
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Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2023.
YJ Kim, Magnachip’s Chief Executive Officer commented, “As we reflect on the past year and look ahead, we’re shaping our future with the transformation of our business. First, we have shifted our Display business to be laser-focused on the burgeoning OLED market in China and our efforts there are already showing promising results. We now have two design-wins and a dedicated team on the ground to help build on this momentum. Additionally, we are working to optimize our Gumi Fab to transition from lower-margin Transitional Foundry Services to higher-margin Power products. Finally, we’ve restructured our company to streamline operations, enhance shareholder value and increase transparency for our investors with the completion of our legal separation of historical Display and Power businesses into MSS and PAS.”
YJ continued, “Looking ahead, for full year 2024, we currently expect double-digit revenue growth in both the newly organized MSS and PAS businesses. We currently expect total consolidated company revenue for full year 2024 to remain relatively flat to slightly up due to the phase-out of Transitional Foundry Services. We also anticipate PAS gross margin to be challenged during the transition period while we convert the Transitional Foundry Services capacity to Power capacity, but we are committed to navigating this period with a clear focus on long-term value creation for shareholders.”
Financial Highlights
- Q4 revenue of $50.8 million was near the low-end of our guidance range.
- Q4 gross profit margin was 22.7%, near the low-end of our guidance range.
- Ended Q4 with no debt and cash of $158.1 million.
- Repurchased approximately $8.2 million of stock during the quarter.
- Full-year revenue of $230.1 million decreased 31.9% YoY.
- Full-year gross profit margin was 22.4%, down 760 bps YoY.
Operational Highlights
- Secured 1st design-win and began initial shipment in Q4 for first generation OLED DDIC for after-service market.
- Secured 2nd design-win following quarter close with leading Chinese smartphone OEM for spring launch.
- Entered into strategic commercial partnership with Chinese watch solution provider to collaborate on OLED smartwatch display market.
- Display and Power business separation and entity restructuring completed effective with the start of 2024; New businesses MSS (Mixed-Signal Solutions) and PAS (Power-Analog Solutions)
Original – Magnachip Semiconductor
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Navitas Semiconductor Corporation announced unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.
“I am pleased to announce a record fourth quarter that caps off a year of more than doubling revenue for Navitas as we demonstrated strength across multiple markets,” said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder. “While we are not immune to first half 2024 market headwinds, we see revenue growth accelerating in the second half based on our strong customer pipeline including major new wins in AI data centers, home appliances, solar inverters and a major satellite internet roll-out – all of which positions Navitas for strong growth in 2024 and beyond.”
4Q23 Financial Highlights
- Revenue: Total revenue grew to $26.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, a 111% increase from $12.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and a 19% increase from $22.0 million in the third quarter of 2023.
- Gross Margin: GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2023 was 42.2%, compared to 40.6% in the fourth quarter of 2022 and 32.3% for the third quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2023 was 42.2% compared to 40.6% for the fourth quarter of 2022 and 42.1% for the third quarter of 2023.
- Loss from Operations: GAAP loss from operations for the quarter was $26.8 million, compared to a loss of $31.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 and a loss of $28.6 million for the third quarter of 2023. On a non-GAAP basis, loss from operations for the quarter was $9.7 million compared to a loss of $12.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 and a loss of $8.7 million for the third quarter of 2023.
- Cash: Cash and cash equivalents were $152.8 million as of December 31, 2023.
FY 2023 Financial Highlights
- Revenue: Total revenue grew to $79.5 million in 2023, a 109% increase from $37.9 million in 2022.
- Gross Margin: GAAP gross margin for 2023 was 39.1%, compared to 31.5% in 2022. Non-GAAP gross margin for 2023 was 41.8% compared to 40.8% for 2022.
- Loss from Operations: GAAP loss from operations for the year was $118.1 million, compared to a loss of $123.6 million for 2022. On a non-GAAP basis, loss from operations for the year was $40.3 million compared to a loss of $41.2 million for 2022.
Market, Customer and Technology Highlights:
- Electric Vehicle: Introduction of new GaNSafe technology plus new Gen-3 Fast silicon carbide is fueling demand for EV on-board and roadside chargers. SiC-based on-board chargers are in or moving to production this year with customers including top EV brands such as Zeekr, Volvo and Smart. Announced joint design center with Shinry – one of the top EV on-board charger suppliers for Hyundai, BYD, Honda, Geely and others.
- Solar/Energy Storage: Displacement of silicon with GaNSafe and Gen 3 Fast SiC technologies continued with significant developments in 3 of the top 5 US solar OEMs, and the majority of the world’s top 10 solar manufacturers. SiC is shipping into this market today and GaN adoption is expected to ramp in late 2024.
- Home Appliance / Industrial: Major new tier 1 home appliance win will drive additional revenues in late ‘24 – Navitas now engaged with 7 of the world’s top 10 home appliance OEMs. Customer designs are in process at 2 of the top 3 global leaders in industrial pumps and a top 3 global leader in heat pumps.
- Datacenter: New GaNSafe and Gen 3 Fast SiC and Navitas’ dedicated design center is now achieving an unprecedented 4.5 kW, more than double the power density of legacy silicon solutions, to deliver accelerating power demands of AI data centers. Over 20 customer designs are expected to ramp production in 2024.
- Mobile: Navitas now powers 5 newly released OPPO models and 8 newly released Xiaomi models with chargers ranging from 67 W to 120 W. Additional Samsung models now include powering the new Galaxy S24.
- Other New Markets: GaN ICs have been designed into the ground-based terminal for a major internet satellite implementation to ramp in 2H24.
Business Outlook
First quarter 2024 net revenues are expected to be $23 million plus or minus $500 thousand. Gross margin for the first quarter is expected to be 41% plus or minus 50 basis points and operating expenses, excluding stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets, are expected to be approximately $21.5 million in the first quarter of 2024. Weighted-average basic share count is expected to be approximately 180 million shares for the first quarter of 2024.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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JCET Group has recently confirmed that, following the approval of the capital increase for its subsidiary, JCET Automotive Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., the first round of RMB 1.551 billion was received on February 22nd. This supports the construction of JCET’s first intelligent and lean lighthouse factory for automotive chip advanced packaging.
The automotive industry demands increasingly sophisticated chip solutions. Dedicated production lines and zero-defect standards are quickly becoming essential prerequisites for achieving industry excellence. In response to evolving market dynamics and customer expectations, JCET is orchestrating unified planning and operations within its automotive electronics business, delivering comprehensive solutions across various applications in the sector.
To better cater to the needs of its global clientele, the JCET Automotive Chip Back-end Manufacturing Base was initiated in August 2023 in Lingang, Shanghai. Momentum has accelerated since then, and the infrastructure is now poised for comprehensive construction. Equipment entry is expected in the first half of 2025.
Leveraging JCET’s rich R&D capabilities and resources, the project also includes a pilot line dedicated to automotive chip manufacturing in China. It focuses on fully automated assembly and packaging solutions for processor chips used in future automotive core components, along with complete packaging solutions for power modules of new energy vehicle core components. Through innovative solutions, the pilot line lays a solid foundation for the project to become a flagship factory.
Simultaneously, JCET is meeting diverse customer demands by developing highly cost-competitive, environmentally friendly, and premium metal frames that comply with the stringent regulations for high-quality vehicles. The company has also implemented a fully traceable solution spanning the entire product process. The aforementioned pilot line has already obtained multiple national patents. In 2024, it is slated to complete the implementation and verification of existing innovations, continue collaboration with industry chain partners, and explore new materials and process solutions.
The JCET Automotive Chip Back-end Manufacturing Base will serve major domestic and international customers. The project is garnering significant interest from key players, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and IC suppliers. Strategic cooperation agreements have already been secured with several prominent partners.
JCET’s close collaboration with customers through the pilot line allows them to secure production capacity in the Lingang facility in advance. Doing so significantly streamlines the verification and introduction processes for future customer products, enabling a seamless transition from early development to mass production. This strategic move helps customers capture critical market share in the rapidly growing automotive semiconductor market.
Original – JCET
