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IQE plc, the leading supplier of compound semiconductor wafer products and advanced material solutions to the global semiconductor industry, announced a strategic collaboration with VisIC Technologies, a global leader in the provision of GaN (Gallium Nitride) power solutions to the automotive sector, to develop the highest reliability gallium nitride D-Mode (D-Mode GaN) power products for use in electric vehicles inverters.
IQE and VisIC Technologies will collaborate to develop 200mm (8”) D-Mode GaN power epiwafers that will be developed at IQE’s UK facilities, leveraging IQE’s well-established expertise in GaN technology.
VisIC Technologies, with its ground-breaking D3GaN technology (Direct Drive D-Mode GaN), brings the future of EV inverters into focus. This technology promises to reduce power consumption, increase reliability and enhance performance in electric vehicles. By combining VisIC Technologies’ innovative Power Electronics solutions with IQE’s epitaxy excellence, this partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of GaN-on-Silicon technology in EVs, significantly contributing to the evolution of sustainable transportation.
The collaboration marks another important milestone in IQE’s strategy of diversification into the high-growth Power market, first announced at its 2022 Capital Markets Day. IQE sees significant opportunities in the GaN Power epiwafer market in particular, which is forecast to reach a $632m value by 2027.
Original – VisIC Technologies
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Aehr Test Systems announced it has received an initial customer order for a FOX-NP™ wafer level test and burn-in system, multiple WaferPak™ Contactors, and a FOX WaferPak Aligner to be used for engineering, qualification, and small lot production wafer level test and burn-in of their silicon carbide devices. The customer is a US-based multibillion-dollar semiconductor supplier serving several markets including automotive, computing, consumer, energy, industrial, and medical. The FOX-NP system, including the FOX WaferPak Aligner and initial WaferPaks are scheduled per the customer’s requested accelerated schedule to ship by the end of the calendar year 2023.
The FOX-NP system is configured with the new Bipolar Voltage Channel Module (BVCM) and Very High Voltage Channel Module (VHVCM) options that enable new advanced test and burn-in capabilities for silicon carbide power semiconductors using Aehr’s proprietary WaferPak full wafer Contactors. This new order highlights Aehr’s continued progression within the growing silicon carbide global power market.
Gayn Erickson, President and CEO of Aehr Test Systems, commented, “We are very excited that after conducting a detailed financial evaluation and multiple onsite visits to Aehr’s application lab, this new customer selected our FOX-P solution for engineering, qualification, and production of their silicon carbide power devices.
This evaluation included cost of ownership and system throughput, as well as device test, burn-in, and stabilization coverage. As their production capacity increases, they told us that they will quickly move to our FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in systems for high-volume production. In addition to the automotive electric vehicle device opportunity, this customer in particular sees the enormous opportunity for silicon carbide power devices in industrial, solar, and other power applications.
“William Blair forecasts that in addition to the 4.5 million six-inch equivalent wafers that will be needed to meet the demand for electric vehicle related silicon carbide devices in 2030, another 2.8 million wafers are needed to address industrial, solar, electric trains, energy conversion and other applications in 2030. The interesting part of this is that most of these applications will be served with discrete MOSFETS in single die packages.
The cost of ownership of our solution proved to be more cost-effective and efficient for these devices than package part burn-in after the die are packaged in packages such as TO-247 or other discrete packages. This is a strong testimony of the advantage of wafer level burn-in as a better alternative to package part burn-in. This expands our silicon carbide test and burn-in market even more and this new customer helps expand Aehr’s presence in this market as our total addressable market (TAM) continues to grow.
“Aehr’s FOX-P systems and proprietary WaferPak full wafer Contactors enable our customers to do economical production volume test and reliability burn-in with processes such as High Temperature Gate Bias (HTGB) and High Temperature Reverse Bias (HTRB) very cost-effectively and ensure extremely high device quality. Our systems are typically used for long burn-in times lasting up to 24 hours or more.
We can do this for under $5.00 per hour per wafer capital depreciation cost while testing and burning-in up to several thousand devices at a time per wafer. This is also in a test system footprint that is up to 94% less than a typical test system on a standard semiconductor wafer prober, which in a precious clean room wafer facility is extremely important and saves a great deal of cost.
“The FOX family of compatible systems including the FOX-NP and FOX-XP multi-wafer test and burn-in systems and Aehr’s proprietary WaferPak full wafer contactors provide a uniquely cost-effective solution for burning in multiple wafers of devices at a single time to remove early life failures of silicon carbide devices, which is critical to meeting the initial quality and long-term reliability of the automotive, industrial, and electrification infrastructure industry needs.”
The FOX-XP and FOX-NP systems, available with multiple WaferPak Contactors (full wafer test) or multiple DiePakTM Carriers (singulated die/module test) configurations, are capable of functional test and burn-in/cycling of devices such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride power semiconductors, silicon photonics as well as other optical devices, 2D and 3D sensors, flash memories, magnetic sensors, microcontrollers, and other leading-edge ICs in either wafer form factor, before they are assembled into single or multi-die stacked packages, or in singulated die or module form factor.
Original – Aehr Test Systems
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AIXTRON SE supports GlobiTech Inc., one of the world’s largest silicon-epitaxy foundries, to expand their business into silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxy. AIXTRON’s new G10-SiC has enabled this global leader to quickly ramp its SiC epitaxy production into high volume to address the world’s increasing demand for power epi-wafers. GlobiTech’s selection of the G10-SiC means a future-proof investment based on dual wafer size configuration of 9×150 & 6×200 mm and the highest throughput per fab space available in the SiC industry today.
The G10-SiC was officially introduced in September 2022. And it has quickly become the tool of record for both 150mm and 200mm SiC device makers as well as foundries like GlobiTech, the wholly owned subsidiary of GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., which manufactures silicon carbide and silicon epitaxial wafers focused on power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments.
“When one of the largest manufacturers and foundries like GlobiTech diversifies its business, it is a clear signal of a long-lasting trend in the semiconductor industry: conventional silicon is being replaced by silicon carbide in an ever-increasing number of applications. And it makes us proud when a leading company such as GlobiTech chooses AIXTRON and our new G10-SiC as an enabler of its transition intothis emerging SiC market. It confirms our overall strategy and the prospects for further growth”, says Dr. Felix Grawert, CEO and President of AIXTRON SE.
GlobiTech, located in Sherman, TX, is already in high-volume production using both G5WW C and G10-SiC AIXTRON systems, with continued installation capacity over the next years.Modeled after the silicon business, GlobiTech supplies both SiC substrates and SiC epitaxy to the market.
“In AIXTRON, we have found a strong partner supporting us in our vision and plans to expand our business into the SiC epitaxy market – an important step as SiC technology is one of the fastest-growing semiconductor sectors. AIXTRON tools allow us to get the most wafers out of our current fab. And AIXTRON’s team understands what it takes to compete against silicon to grow this market while offering great customer support and service”, says Mark England, President of GlobalWafers.
The G10-SiC is the first SiC epitaxy tool on the market that truly enables high-volume production of SiC epi-wafers. Since the G10-SiC offers both 9×150 mm and 6×200 mm batch configurations, it is an instrumental tool for a market rapidly transitioning from 6-inch (150mm) to 8-inch (200 mm) wafer diameters. The new platform is built around AIXTRON’s proven automated wafer cassette-to-cassette loading solution with high-temperature wafer transfer.
Combined with high growth rate process capabilities, the G10-SiC provides best-in-class wafer throughput, an excellent epi wafer performance in terms of quality and uniformity, and the best throughput per square meter of fab space. All this leads to the lowest cost of ownership in the market. It is estimated that in 2023, the new G10-SiC will become AIXTRON’s top-selling product.
The wide-bandgap material SiC is set to become mainstream technology for efficient power electronics. Driven by the growing adoption of SiC-based power semiconductors within e-mobility solutions and the overall acceleration of the charging infrastructure, the global demand for SiC wafers is growing rapidly.And with its superior characteristics, SiC semiconductors offer higher energy efficiency than conventional power electronics based on silicon. Therefore, SiC significantly contributes to reducing the global CO2 footprint.
Original – AIXTRON
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Semilab announced an agreement to form a long-term strategic partnership with Fraunhofer IISB. Within the framework of this cooperation, a demo lab will be opened with a strong focus on developing state-of-the-art metrology and inspection solutions for wide bandgap semiconductor materials.
Over the years, developments in compound semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) have been receiving increased attention. SiC devices show great promise in the future of wide bandgap semiconductors due to their superior material properties. The silicon carbide market’s growth shows no sign of slowing down due to the expansion in the industrial and automotive sectors. Semilab believes in driving decarbonization by supporting the development of key SiC products and components.
Based in Budapest, Hungary, Semilab is a strategic metrology supplier and innovation partner of the leading wafer manufacturers, IC device makers in the More-than-Moore market segment. Semilab provides state-of-the-art metrology solutions for semiconductor device manufacturers, both in-line and R&D segments. The company is among the world leaders in non-contact CV metrology for SiC and its market share is growing for EPI thickness and resistivity monitoring.
The Fraunhofer IISB in Erlangen, Germany, specializes in wide-bandgap semiconductors and efficient power electronics. Here, device know-how merges with complex system development, especially for e-mobility and sustainable energy supply.
The institute bundles its activities in the two business units Power Electronic Systems and Semiconductors. In doing so, it comprehensively covers the entire value chain from basic materials, through semiconductor device, process and module technologies, to complete electronics and energy systems. As a unique center of excellence in Europe for the semiconductor material silicon carbide (SiC), the IISB is a pioneer in the development of highly efficient power electronics, even for extreme requirements. This spans from material, over process and to device development supported by providing innovative metrology solutions.
Considering the crucial role both players have in shaping of the European semiconductor scene, the strategic partnership between Semilab and Fraunhofer IISB will allow the utilization of their respective resources and global networks in order to develop new, innovative silicon carbide processes and metrologies.
Original – Semilab
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Navitas Semiconductor announced participation at the International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM) 2023, to be held in Sorrento, Italy.
The ICSCRM conference fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among the brightest minds in the field. The conference has a rich history dating back to its inaugural meeting in 1987, evolving into a premier global forum for in-depth technical discussions on all aspects of SiC and related materials.
GeneSiC™ power devices, optimized for high-power, high-voltage, and high-reliability SiC applications, address critical markets including electric vehicles, solar energy, energy storage, industrial applications, data centers, and consumer electronics. With an unmatched voltage range spanning from 650 V to 6.5 kV, GeneSiC MOSFETs and Schottky MPS™ diodes have been at the forefront of SiC technology advancement, offering performance and efficiency that pave the way for a more electrified and sustainable future.
Navitas Semiconductor will present two paper sessions at ICSCRM 2023:
- “New Generation SiC MPS Diodes with Low Schottky Barrier Height”
- “650 V SiC Power MOSFETs with Statistically Tight VTH Control and RDS(ON) of 1.92 mΩ-cm²”
Additionally, Navitas’ SVP of SiC Technology & Operations, Dr. Sid Sundaresan, will be chairing the session on Thursday, September 21st. The session, titled “Devices 4: Short circuit, avalanche and reliability,” will focus on crucial topics in the field of SiC technology.
“Navitas’ presence at ICSCRM 2023 is a testament to the company’s unparalleled expertise in SiC technology and its commitment to driving innovation in the industry,” said Dr. Ranbir Singh, Navitas EVP for the GeneSiC business line. “As a pioneer in the field, we continue to extend the boundaries of SiC technology, revolutionizing power semiconductors with cutting-edge GeneSiC™ technology.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation announced new board of directors, with an effective date of October 1, 2023. The composition of the Board of Directors and the company’s Auditors, as of October 1, 2023, will be as follows.
Directors and Officers of the Company
- Hiroyuki Sato President & CEO (Toshiba Corporation)
- Seiichi Mori
- Norifumi Inukubo (Toshiba Corporation)
- Hiroshi Kuriki (Toshiba Corporation)
- Shin Kurosawa
- Noriyasu Kurihara
- Hiroyuki Shinki (Toshiba Corporation)
- Yutaka Sata (Toshiba Corporation)
Auditors
- Hiroki Okada
- Masami Takaoka
- Akira Nakanishi (Toshiba Corporation)
Retiring Director as of September 30, 2023
- Takeshi Kamebuchi
- Kenji Kishimoto
- Takashi Miyamori
- Shigenao Noda
- Ikuko Shimogawara
Original – Toshiba
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Siltronic AG officially inaugurated the extension to its crystal pulling hall at the Freiberg site. The new production area provides space for the latest generation of crystal pulling systems, which are used to produce silicon monocrystals for wafer production under cleanroom conditions. In total, several hundred million euros were invested in the construction and around 60 jobs were created.
“This investment is a clear commitment to our Saxon location. In addition, the modernization helps us to maintain our position as one of the world’s technology leaders and it strengthens our position as the only major Western wafer manufacturer”, said Dr. Michael Heckmeier, CEO of Siltronic AG, at the opening. The Freiberg site in Saxony is one of four production sites of the group, which manufactures in Germany, Singapore and the USA.
With a usable area of 20,000 square meters, the extension building is almost as large as three soccer fields. Here, man-sized silicon monocrystals are produced in a process that takes five to seven days. The so-called ingots have a diameter of around 300 millimeters and weigh several hundred kilograms. In a complex process under cleanroom conditions, they are processed into wafers – extremely thin slices of silicon. Siltronic’s customers use the wafers to manufacture microchips, which can be found in everyday items such as tablets, smartphones and electric cars, as well as wind turbines and aircrafts. The semiconductor industry is receiving tailwind from the megatrends of artificial intelligence, digitization and electromobility.
Siltronic has invested more than one billion euros at the site since acquiring Freiberger Elektronikwerkstoffe GmbH in 1995. “With our investments, we believe we are well prepared for the future, to be at the forefront in a challenging market environment,” Heckmeier explained. Currently around 1,000 people are employed at the site in Freiberg, Saxony.
Original – Siltronic
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WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Future Electronics Inc. (“Future Electronics”) for an enterprise value of US$3.8 billion in an all-cash transaction. The strategic transaction is anticipated to deliver long-term, sustainable value to all relevant stakeholders including customers, suppliers, employees, and shareholders through the combination of two highly complementary organizations.
Future Electronics, a Canadian-based leading global distributor of electronic components, generated revenues of US$2.9 billion, operating income of US$228 million, and net income of US$184 million for the six months ended on June 30, 2023. The privately-held company, with approximately 5,200 employees in 47 countries, provides customers with application engineering expertise and supply chain services covering a portfolio of electronics from industry leading suppliers.
“This is transformational for WT Microelectronics and Future Electronics and important for the electronic component ecosystem,” said Eric Cheng, Chairman and CEO of WT Microelectronics. “Future Electronics has an experienced and deep management team and a very talented employee base, and is highly complementary to WT Microelectronics in terms of product offerings, customer coverage, and global footprint.
Future’s management team, all of their employees worldwide, and all locations and distribution centers will continue to operate and add value to the organization. We are excited to invite Mr. Omar Baig to join WT Microelectronics’ Board of Directors post-closing and look forward to working with him and his immensely talented colleagues around the world to build together a best-in-class electronic components distributor.”
“We are excited to join WT Microelectronics and believe that this transaction will benefit all our stakeholders. Our two companies share a common culture, driven by a rich entrepreneurial spirit that will empower our talented employees globally”, said Omar Baig, President, CEO and Chairman of Future Electronics. “This combination is a great opportunity for WT Microelectronics and Future Electronics to jointly form a world-class industry leader, and allows us to continue our long-term strategic plan to offer the highest level of services to our customers, which we have been doing for the past 55 years.”
Original – WT Microelectronics
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Resonac Holdings Corporation published English version of its integrated report “RESONAC REPORT 2023,” and made it available to the public via the Group’s website.
RESONAC REPORT 2023, which is the first integrated report published with the name of Resonac, is edited under the key concept of “Here We Go,” and introduces financial and non-financial strategies and tactics of the Resonac Group, which aims to be a Co-creative Chemical Company.
The Report thoroughly investigates “Co-creative Chemical Company” which the Resonac Group aims to be, and describes progress in “Resonac’s Human Capital Management” and training of “co-creative talent,” while introducing the Group’s new initiatives including “Resonac Pride Products & Services” which contribute to improvement in customers’ and public welfare through practice of our Purpose, “Change society through the power of chemistry.”
In addition, the Report describes the present situation and future prospects of the Resonac Group including how “Team Takahashi,” the management team of the Resonac Group lead by President and CEO Hidehito Takahashi, functions, dialogue with outside experts about the Group’s human capital management, discussion with an outside director about transformation of the Board of Directors, and conversation and interview between Resonac’s global top and young researchers. Thus, more people appear on the RESONAC REPORT 2023 than those on the integrated report of 2022.
The Resonac Group positions the Report as a tool to give stakeholders better understanding of the Group and promote value creation through dialogue between the Group and stakeholders. It will continue communicating with the stakeholders via dialogue and the Group’s website how the Group is behaving as a Co-creative Chemical Company.
Original – Resonac
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It’s something that affects nearly every company. An aging society and labor shortages are social trends that are shaping the 21st century. “Bosch is facing up to these challenges as a committed employer: we’re focusing on training and upskilling as well as on intelligent technology that makes associates’ work easier,” says Stefan Grosch, member of the Bosch board of management and director of industrial relations. In 2022, the company offered more than 30,000 training seminars worldwide, with more than 520,000 Bosch associates taking part.
One focus was technological expertise. More than 130,000 participants were able to acquire knowledge in technologies of the future such as electromobility, software engineering, and Industry 4.0. “Looking at the metrics for the first half of the year, we expect to train around 50 percent more Bosch participants in 2023 than we did the year before,” Grosch says.
This commitment to training does not end at the company’s own factory gates. With academies, training centers, and training courses, Bosch also offers other companies, customers, and interested parties the opportunity to acquire knowledge. On the subject of Industry 4.0, for example, the company makes more than 100 Bosch training programs on digitalization and connectivity in manufacturing available externally through Bosch Connected Industry, Bosch Rexroth, and training institutes.
“Bosch is facing up to these challenges as a committed employer: we’re focusing on training and upskilling as well as on intelligent technology that makes associates’ work easier,”says Stefan Grosch, member of the Bosch board of management and director of industrial relations.
According to the European Commission, three-quarters of companies in the EU report difficulties in finding qualified workers, and only 37 percent of adults engage in regular further professional development. “Bosch promotes lifelong learning. This is the key to lasting professional and business success,” Grosch says. It is also essential for a country’s economic output. “If we want to maintain prosperity in Germany and remain successful as an exporting and industrial nation, we must invest even more in upskilling and intelligent technology and actively encourage people to enroll,” Grosch says. Bosch offers all associates the opportunity for professional development.
In 2022, Bosch associates attended one to two training courses on average; in addition, they completed two to three web-based courses. Roughly 6,000 seminars deal with technologies of the future. Lasting an average of two days, these seminars are particularly thorough. Digitalization often determines not only the topic and content of training courses, but also their form: in 2022, online courses accounted for two-thirds of all training hours for Bosch associates.
“Digitalization is becoming a training booster for companies and their workforce; it enables learning independent of place and time and gives people a chance to experience new technologies such as artificial intelligence firsthand,” says Bosch CDO and member of the board of management Dr. Tanja Rückert. Last year alone, Bosch spent some 300 million euros on professional development for its associates. “At Bosch, we develop technology that is ‘Invented for life.’ To do that, we need the right team with talented people in all positions, and we need them to continuously improve and expand their skills,” Grosch says.
“Digitalization is becoming a training booster for companies and their workforce; it enables learning independent of place and time and gives people a chance to experience new technologies such as artificial intelligence firsthand,”says Bosch CDO and member of the board of management Dr. Tanja Rückert.
The labor shortage comes at a cost. The Boston Consulting Group estimates the loss in potential output for the German economy to be 86 billion euros. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry puts it even higher, at just under 100 billion euros – annually. In an international comparison of the nations with the strongest economies, the losses suffered by the German economy are the second highest after the United States. “In the competition for the best talent, companies have to put everything on the line. A future-oriented corporate approach also means identifying vocational training and professional development opportunities and offering them to the workforce. Having highly qualified personnel is a decisive competitive advantage,” Grosch says.
As a manufacturer and technology company, Bosch pays close attention to professional development for its associates in manufacturing operations. This year, for example, its mobility business launched the LernWerk initiative to train 24,000 associates in readiness for the digital transformation, initially at German sites. “Manufacturing is where value creation begins in our company. This is where we lay the foundation for business success. Our progressive and efficient manufacturing operations feature an impressive degree of connectivity and digitalization. One important prerequisite for this is ensuring associates receive the necessary training,” Rückert says.
As part of Bosch’s training program for other companies, its Industry 4.0 courses are additionally offered in Germany and elsewhere through partners such as chambers of industry and commerce, colleges, and universities: “From France and the Czech Republic to China, India, and Singapore, companies are training their manufacturing workers according to the German model. Bosch is one of the Industry 4.0 pioneers, and we are sharing our knowledge all around the world. Industry 4.0 training ‘made in Germany’ is becoming the global standard,” Rückert says.
In addition to vocational training and professional development programs, Bosch develops training systems that are compatible with the syllabuses of industrial and educational institutions. Bosch Rexroth is launching its new Automax 600 training system. Using internationally standardized programming languages and open interfaces, this gives users practical experience of the digitalization of production processes – including controlling robotic systems, operating autonomous transport systems, and using cloud applications such as data analysis and machine learning based on artificial intelligence.
There are various remedies for labor shortages. One is vocational training and professional development, and visa programs for skilled workers are another. And technology also has a key role to play. Bosch Rexroth, for example, has developed an automation solution that no longer requires any previous specialist knowledge of automation. Users of ctrlX Automation can choose from over 30 popular programming languages. The company is taking a similar approach to hydraulics: In the future, customers can use H4U to integrate Bosch Rexroth software into the automation architecture they are already familiar with, eliminating the need to build up their own hydraulics expertise.
“By opening up systems, making technology interoperable, and moving hardware applications into software, we reduce complexity and dependencies, such as on specialists,” Rückert says. Moreover, technology makes life easier for workers whose tasks are monotonous, strenuous, or hazardous. Robotics supports loading and palletizing, artificial intelligence helps with the optical inspection of workpieces, augmented reality guides through work processes, and driverless transport systems take goods directly to where they are needed.
“Only by increasing productivity can we manage the impact of an aging society. This calls for well-trained specialists, as well as technology that allows them to work rationally and efficiently. The interplay between humans and machines and between training and digitalization is a key success factor,” Grosch says.
Original – Bosch
