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Power semiconductors companies continue to invest heavily in new factories, production capacity expansions, and R&D centers. Thus, recently the total value of the active investment projects launched since 2021 has surpassed 70 billion USD.
Driven by the pandemic and geopolitics, major power semiconductors companies started to invest more in new factories and joint ventures to have more confidence in their own supply chain in the future.
As of today, it is obvious to see the major split of power semiconductors into three geographical regions – the USA, Europe, and Asia. Asia may as well be divided into several regions with China being the leading investor of all.
Despite the ongoing tensions and export restrictions between the US, Europe, and China related to advanced semiconductors, when it comes to power semiconductors European companies continue to invest in the Chinese market expanding their product capacity or establishing new joint ventures like STMicroelectronics and Sanan Optoelectronics did recently.
Even with some delay, Japanese companies like ROHM, Mitsubishi Electric, Fuji Electric, Renesas Electronics, Toshiba, and others, pushed by their US and European competitors, announced their own projects aimed to secure the capacity on the wafer and device level to correspond to the growing demand for Si and SiC based power semiconductors coming from the electric vehicle and charging, photovoltaics, battery energy storage systems, and the other emerging applications.
If we take a closer look at all projects announced, SiC is the leading technology with over 60% of total investment. Over 25 market leaders announced their plans to invest in silicon carbide.
Thus, ROHM is investing in new production to multiply its SiC capacity in the coming years. Mitsubishi Electric teams up with Coherent to scale manufacturing of SiC power devices on a 200 mm SiC technology platform as one of the steps of their 260 billion yen investment project planned till March 2026.
Infineon Technologies continues to bet on both local European and Asian markets investing in their new fab in Dresden and expanding backend operations in Indonesia. STMicroelectronics continues to invest in WBG semiconductors with the ongoing construction of a new wafer fab in Sicily announced in 2022.
With a global total number of new investment projects of over 80, the US companies Wolfspeed, onsemi, and Microchip Technology, similar to their European counterparts, invest locally, in Europe and Asian markets. Totally the US semiconductor companies announced new projects valued at almost 9 billion USD.
With the US and EU Chips Acts, and similar initiatives in China, Japan, South Korea, and some other countries, it is clear that the investment into power semiconductors industry will continue to reach 100 billion USD soon.
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As digitalization, urbanization, and the rise of electro-mobility continue to shape the rapidly evolving world, the demand for power consumption is reaching unprecedented levels. Acknowledging energy efficiency as an important concern, Infineon Technologies AG addresses these megatrends with its silicon carbide (SiC) CoolSiC™ MOSFET 650 V in TO leadless (TOLL) packaging. The new SiC MOSFETs are enhancing Infineon’s comprehensive CoolSiC portfolio and are optimized for the lowest losses, the highest reliability, and ease-of-use in applications such as SMPS for servers, telecom infrastructure as well as energy storage systems and battery formation solutions.
The CoolSiC 650 V high-performance trench-based power SiC MOSFETs are offered in a very granular portfolio to best suit different target applications. The new family comes in a JEDEC-qualified TOLL package featuring a low parasitic inductance, allowing for higher switching frequency, reduced switching losses, good thermal management, and automated assembly. The compact form factor enables efficient and effective usage of the board space, empowering system designers to achieve exceptional power density.
The CoolSiC MOSFETs 650 V showcase remarkable reliability even in harsh environments, making them an ideal choice for topologies with repetitive hard commutation. The inclusion of the innovative .XT interconnect technology further enhances the devices’ thermal performance by reducing the thermal resistance (R th) and thermal impedance (Z th). In addition, the new devices feature a gate threshold voltage (V GS(th)) greater than 4 V for robustness against parasitic turn-on, a robust body diode, and the strongest gate oxide (GOX) in the market resulting in extremely low FIT (failures in time) rates.
While a cut-off voltage (V GS(off)) of 0 V is generally recommended to simplify the driving circuit (unipolar driving), the new portfolio supports a wide driving interval of V GS voltage within the range of -5 V (turn-off) to 23 V (turn-on). This ensures ease-of-use and compatibility with other SiC MOSFETs and standard MOSFET gate-driver ICs. This is paired with higher reliability, reduced system complexity, and the enablement of automated assembly, reducing system and production costs and accelerating time-to-market.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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NoMIS Power has achieved its latest major milestone with an award from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop rugged Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices to support the electrical power systems of aircraft.
NoMIS Power will develop 1200 V SiC power semiconductor devices (PSDs) through the award. The focus will be on metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with enhanced operational lifetime as well as improved on-state and off-state efficiency at operating temperatures, resulting in lower losses for power electronics engineers to manage.
Solid-state power controllers within aircraft electrical power distribution systems require low on-state losses to enable passive cooling, as well as surge current and voltage overshoot protection during system start-up and fault interrupt. The proposed 1200 V SiC MOSFETs from NoMIS Power will provide airframers and system builders/integrators with the necessary PSD chips capable of high efficiency, long short-circuit withstand time (SCWT), and operational ruggedness for nominal and transient conditions. Moreover, the 1200 V rating will not only support current-generation aircraft utilizing 270 VDC architecture, but also aircraft operating with a +/- 270 VDC (i.e. 540 VDC rail-to-rail) architecture, as well.
NoMIS Power overcomes the limitations of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Si and SiC-based PSDs via a novel SiC device design that is achievable using disruptive manufacturing techniques. As a result, NoMIS SiC devices can withstand higher voltage spikes and current surges during harsh operating conditions, enabling longer power management product lifetime through superior reliability and ruggedness.
Announcing the new award, NoMIS Power CEO Dr. Adam Morgan said, “Our team is very excited to get the opportunity to support strategic groups working to improve the capabilities of our armed forces. We are confident this novel SiC device technology will also have a significant impact on other critical technology markets, such as electric vehicles and grid infrastructure. These efforts will directly support our company’s near-term product launch of next-generation SiC devices.”
Original – NoMIS Power
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Semiconductors are the linchpin to the performance, safety, and customer features of Stellantis vehicles today and in the new state-of-the-art, BEV-centric STLA vehicle and technology platforms arriving soon. As the auto industry’s demand for semiconductors accelerates, Stellantis is implementing a multifaceted strategy designed to manage and secure the long-term supply of vital microchips. Developed by a cross-functional team, the strategy was created through a rigorous assessment of customer desires for advanced technology features and a keen focus on delivering the objectives laid out in the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 plan.
The robust strategy, which is refined continuously, includes:
- implementation of a semiconductor database to provide full transparency on the semiconductor content;
- systematic risk assessment to avoid and proactively remove legacy parts;
- long-term chip level demand forecasting to support capacity securitization agreements with chip makers and Silicon Foundries;
- implementation and enforcement of a Green List to reduce chip diversity and – in case of future chip shortages – to put Stellantis in control of the allocation; and,
- the purchasing of mission-critical parts at chip makers including a long-term securitization of chip supply.
Stellantis has started to engage with strategic semiconductor providers like Infineon, NXP® Semiconductors, onsemi, and Qualcomm to further improve its all-new, state-of-the-art STLA platforms and technologies. In addition, Stellantis is working with aiMotive and SiliconAuto to develop its own differentiating semiconductors in the future.
“An effective semiconductor strategy requires a deep understanding of semiconductors and the semiconductor industry,” said Maxime Picat, Chief Purchasing and Supply Chain Officer at Stellantis. “We have hundreds of very different semiconductors in our cars.
We have built a comprehensive ecosystem to mitigate the risk that one missing chip can stop our lines. At the same time, key vehicle capabilities directly depend on the innovation and performance of single devices. SiC MOSFETS extend the range of our electric vehicles while the computation performance of a leading-edge SoC is essential for the customer experience and safety.”
To date, Stellantis has entered into direct agreements for semiconductors with a purchasing value of more than €10 billion through 2030. The supply agreements cover a variety of vital microchips, including:
- Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETS, which are fundamental to the range of EVs.
- Microcontroller Unit (MCU), a key part of the computing zones for the STLA Brain electrical architecture.
- System-on-a-chip (SoC), where performance is essential for the high-performance computing (HPC) units that deliver the in-vehicle infotainment and autonomous driving assist functions.
Semiconductors play key roles in the vehicles that are driving the Stellantis transformation into a sustainable mobility tech company, as outlined in Dare Forward 2030. This includes enabling features and functions in the BEV-native STLA global platforms (Small/Medium/Large/Frame) and the seamless connectivity, remote upgradability, and the flexible service-oriented electrical/electronic architecture that underpins the STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit, and STLA AutoDrive artificial intelligence-powered platforms.
Original – Stellantis
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onsemi and BorgWarner Inc. announced the two companies are expanding their strategic collaboration for silicon carbide (SiC), making the total agreement worth over $1 billion in lifetime value. BorgWarner plans to integrate onsemi EliteSiC 1200 V and 750 V power devices into its VIPER power modules. The EliteSiC devices join a broad portfolio of onsemi products that are part of the long-standing strategic relationship between the two companies.
onsemi provides high-performance EliteSiC technology while maintaining the high standards of quality, reliability and supply assurance needed for the EV traction market. onsemi’s decades of experience in the design, development and manufacturing of power semiconductor products support successful adoption in high-volume automotive applications.
“First and foremost, onsemi’s continuous and strategic investment in ramping SiC manufacturing capacity across its end-to-end supply chain gives us confidence in our ability to support the increasing demand for our solutions, now and in the future,” said Stefan Demmerle, Vice President of BorgWarner Inc. and President and General Manager, PowerDrive Systems.
BorgWarner’s silicon carbide traction inverters already offer higher efficiency, better cooling performance, and faster-charging rates in a more compact package than other options for EVs. By using EliteSiC technology, BorgWarner’s solutions expect to benefit from increased power density and higher efficiency, which increase the range and overall performance of EVs.
“The integration of EliteSiC technology in the traction inverter enables increased gas-equivalent miles per gallon (MPGe), which helps alleviate range anxiety – one of the key barriers to EV adoption,” said Simon Keeton, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “With onsemi’s chip-to-system level support and a track record of execution, we are able to provide industry-leading SiC-based solutions to BorgWarner at an accelerated pace to support its go-to-market requirements.”
Original – onsemi
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Infineon Technologies AG introduced a 62mm half-bridge and common emitter module portfolio with 1200 V TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT7 chips. The wide range of offerings in the proven 62mm housing is extended with the new 800 A maximum current class for the package family. The addition to the portfolio’s current classes provides system designers with a high degree of flexibility in designing higher current power solutions while offering higher power density and electrical performance.
It is tailored to meet the needs of solar central inverters as well as industrial drive applications and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Additionally, EV charging, energy storage systems (ESS) and other new industrial applications can be covered.
Based on the new micro-pattern trench technology, the 62mm module family with the 1200 V TRENCHSTOP IGBT7 chip has significantly lower static losses compared to the modules with the IGBT4 chipset. This results in significant loss reduction in applications, especially in industrial drives that typically operate at moderate switching frequencies. The IGBT’s oscillation behavior and controllability have been improved. In addition, the new power modules feature a maximum overload junction temperature of 175°C.
A solid, nickel-coated copper baseplate and screw main terminals ensure the high mechanical robustness of the 62mm module housing. The main terminals are located in the center of the housing, making them well suited for parallel circuits and 3-level configurations due to the low inductive DC link connection.
Unchanged standard package design and dimensions within the module family support mechanical compatibility with the previous module version. In addition, all modules are available with Infineon’s proven pre-applied thermal interface material (TIM).
Original – Infineon Technologies
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If you haven’t had a chance to visit a wonderful Lake Maggiore yet, this September you can enjoy one of the most beautiful places in Italy in a company of power semiconductors superstars discussing SiC & GaN technologies. After a successful series of events across the world, International Semiconductor Executive Summits (ISES) returns to Italy with ISES EU Power 2023 edition.
With a regional focus on the power semiconductor market, the EU Power International Semiconductor Executive Summits seeks to strengthen the EU supply chain and promote key executives in the semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research through our networking and conference platform which consists of working with key industry stakeholders to encourage progress and collaboration.
With speakers coming from STMicroelectronics, Infineon Technologies, Semikron Danfoss, onsemi, Wolfspeed, Renesas, ROHM, Nexperia, SK Siltron, Soitec, Okmetic, Aehr Test Systems, Amkor Technology, Innoscience, Cambridge GaN Devices, Ferrari, Volkswagen, Volvo, Škoda, and many more leaders of power electronics and automotive industries, you are about to be a part of the power semiconductors event like never before.
During two days of the event, all participants will be discussing and disclosing the latest news and advances in silicon carbide and gallium nitride technologies, sharing the view of the future and taking a close look at the current state of the industry, supply chain, global collaboration, exhisting problems and emerging opportunities.
You can find the agenda of ISES EU Power 2023 at the event website.
International Semiconductor Executive Summit EU Power provides a unique platform for networking and expanding your knowledge base. Here are just a few topics that will be covered this September:
- SiC and GaN Manufacturability
- Variety of WBG Applications
- SiC Wafer & Materials
- Power Packaging
- Design and Reliability
The event offers various packages for participation:
- Standard Pass
- Member Pass
- Partner Pass
- Virtual Pass
- Numerous Sponsorship Packages and VIP Passes
All interested to participate can register at ISES EU Power 2023 website.
ISES EU Power 2023 will take place at Regina Palace Hotel. Overlooking the shore of Lago Maggiore, the Regina Palace Hotel is located in a favored spot in the center of Stresa, considered the pearl of Lago Maggiore. The hotel represents yesteryear’s charm and prestige enriched by the history and the grace that each epoch has donated.
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Cars with fully or partially electrified drivetrains will account for two thirds of cars produced by 2028, as per analyst forecasts. This rapid growth of electromobility is driving the demand for power semiconductors. Against this background, Infineon Technologies AG and Semikron Danfoss have signed a multi-year volume agreement for the supply of silicon-based electromobility chips.
Infineon will supply chipsets consisting of IGBTs and diodes to Semikron Danfoss. These chips are mainly used in power modules for inverters, which are used for the main drive in electric vehicles.
“As the global leader in automotive semiconductors, Infineon enables game-changing solutions for clean and safe mobility. Already today, our IGBTs and diodes play a major role in the industry’s electromobility transformation by enabling efficient power conversion in the electric powertrain,” said Peter Schiefer, President of Infineon’s Automotive division. “Our broad product portfolio, system expertise and continuous investment in our manufacturing capabilities make us a valued partner of automotive players like Semikron Danfoss.”
Claus A. Petersen, President of Semikron Danfoss added: “Semikron Danfoss provides automotive customers with power modules based on the most advanced assembly technologies that fully exploit the capabilities of IGBTs and diodes to enable further decarbonization of the transportation sector. Automotive customers trust us as an experienced long-term partner to drive the transformation in the industry.”
The IGBTs and diodes for Semikron Danfoss will be manufactured by Infineon at its sites in Dresden, Germany, and Kulim, Malaysia. Semikron Danfoss manufactures its own automotive power modules in Nuremberg and Flensburg in Germany, in Utica, US, and as of next year, in Nanjing, China.
Original – Semikron Danfoss
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ROHM has reached a basic agreement with Solar Frontier K.K. to acquire the assets of Solar Frontier’s former Kunitomi Plant, located in Japan. The acquisition is scheduled to take place in October 2023 and will belong to the ROHM Group’s main production bases.
The role of semiconductors, one of ROHM’s core business fields is becoming increasingly important to achieving a decarbonized society.
In particular, the automotive and industrial equipment markets are undergoing technological innovation such as electrification in order to reduce environmental impact and achieve carbon neutrality. With this, the demand is increasing – especially for power and analog semiconductors.
As further expansion of the semiconductor market is expected, the ROHM Group intends to expand its production capacity continuously, particularly for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, and ensure a stable supply to ROHM’s customers.
Original – ROHM
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Transphorm, Inc. responded to the recent news regarding China export restrictions. Late Monday, July 3, 2023, China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that it will restrict the exports of materials related to two metals used in semiconductor manufacturing: gallium and germanium. Gallium nitride (GaN) wafer materials are listed as being affected by these regulations.
Transphorm manufactures high voltage GaN power semiconductors. Trimethylgallium (TMGa) is used to produce the GaN. The company confirmed that its primary TMGa suppliers are not based in China and that suppliers have confirmed to be well-positioned to meet forecasted demand. Transphorm is therefore securely positioned to continue manufacturing and supplying its GaN devices without interruption.
Transphorm also explained gallium is generally a byproduct resulting from refinement processes used to produce popular metals such as aluminum from bauxite ore. Aluminum is produced in numerous countries such as Australia, Brazil, India, Jamaica, and the United States among others.
Transphorm will continue to the monitor the situation as necessary but sees no direct impact on its current operations. Nor does the company see long-term sourcing issues.
Original – Transphorm
