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Qorvo® will showcase its latest power management innovations at the upcoming Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) from Feb. 26-28, at the Long Beach Convention Center in California. Attendees are invited to visit the Qorvo booth #1857 to explore the latest advancements in SPICE simulation, silicon carbide (SiC) and battery management technologies.
Qorvo will feature the following highlights at APEC 2024:
QSPICE™ Simulation Software Showcase
APEC attendees can experience the next level of simulation with Qorvo’s advanced QSPICE tool during three insightful training sessions and engage in a Q&A with the tool’s creator, Mike Engelhardt. For those unable to attend APEC, the sessions will be available on the Qorvo YouTube channel in March.Training Session Schedule:
- Tuesday, Feb. 27, 10-10:20 a.m.: The QSPICE User-Interface
- Tuesday, Feb. 27, 3-3:20 p.m.: Importing 3rd Party Models
- Wednesday, Feb. 28, 10-10:20 a.m.: Anatomy of a Macro Model Done Right
Launch of Inaugural SiC Module Family
Qorvo will unveil its first SiC module family, featuring an innovative cascode JFET architecture. This highly integrated device family simplifies high-voltage designs and offers exceptional thermal and electrical performance due to low switching losses, low thermal resistance and RDS(on) as low as 9.4mΩ.Battery Management Demonstrations
Visitors to the booth can see Qorvo’s wireless battery management debut with a demonstration showcasing a remote battery pack monitoring and state of charge solution, created in combination with Qorvo’s IoT microcontroller.Original – Qorvo
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Infineon Technologies AG announced a collaboration with Worksport. Worksport Ltd. will use Infineon’s GaN power semiconductors GS-065-060-5-B-A in the converters for its portable power stations to increase efficiency and power density. Enabled by Infineon’s GaN transistors, the power converters will be lighter and smaller in size with reduced system costs. In addition, Infineon will support Worksport in the optimization of circuits and layout design to further reduce size and increase power density.
“Infineon’s high-quality standard and solid supply chain provide us with the best components to ensure power-dense converters for our COR system product line and contribute to a first-class end product performance,” said Worksport CEO Steven Rossi.
The company’s COR battery system can be integrated into a pickup truck or recharged by any solar panel or wall outlet. By replacing the former silicon switch in the power converter with Infineon’s GaN power semiconductors and operating the transistors at higher switching frequency, Worksport will be able to reduce the battery system weight by 33 percent and system costs by up to 25 percent.
The working relationship with Infineon will also help Worksport to reduce CO2 in the manufacturing process. GaN is proving itself as a game-changing technology across many markets and applications. For example, in data centers, GaN solutions have a global energy savings potential of 21 TWh annually, 10 million tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent.
“In order to further drive electrification and decarbonization, the industry’s power designs require innovation,” said Johannes Schoiswohl, Business Line Head GaN Systems of Infineon’s Power & Sensor Systems Division. “With our GaN power semiconductors we enable Worksport to create the next generation portable power stations that users require.”
Infineon’s GS-065-060-5-B-A is an Automotive-grade 650 V enhancement mode GaN-on-Silicon power transistor. It offers very low junction-to-case thermal resistance for demanding high power applications such as on-board chargers, industrial motor drives and solar inverters. Furthermore, it features simple gate drive requirements (0 V to 6 V) and a transient tolerant gate drive (-20 / +10 V).
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Leapers Semiconductor introduced a new 62 mm package SiC module product portfolio, achieving top-tier performance in the industry. The modules adopt the widely used 62 mm module half-bridge topology design in the industrial field, using high-quality mature chips. It boasts high voltage resistance, outstanding power density, high short-circuit tolerance, and a temperature coefficient 1.4 times better than industry standards.
The 62 mm SiC modules include voltage resistance specifications of 1200V and 1700V, meeting the demands of high-power applications, especially suitable for applications in the smart grid, rail transit, energy storage, and power supplies.
Because of the use of leading-edge chip solutions in the industry and the application of low thermal resistance and low stray capacitance packaging technology, along with the use of Si3N4 AMB low thermal resistance substrate, Leapers’ 62 mm SiC product excels in power density, short-circuit current withstand capability, thermal resistance, and other capabilities. Particularly under high junction temperature conditions, the module’s conduction and switching losses significantly outperform industry standards.
Technical Features:- Voltage resistance options: 1200V or 1700V
- Outstanding current output capability
- Temperature coefficient index better than industry standards
- Low losses, excellent short-circuit current withstand capability
- Si3N4 AMB, low thermal resistance
Currently, Leapers 62 mm SiC modules have undergone bench tests and received orders, involving applications such as grid inverters and auxiliary inverters for rail transit vehicles. Downstream customers include domestic power grid and overseas rail transit enterprises.Original – Leapers Semiconductor
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VMAX, a leading Chinese manufacturer of power electronics and motor drives for new energy vehicles, has selected the new CoolSiC™ hybrid discrete with TRENCHSTOP™ 5 Fast-Switching IGBT and CoolSiC Schottky Diode from Infineon Technologies AG for its next generation 6.6 kW OBC/DCDC on-board chargers.
Infineon’s components come in a D²PAK package and combine ultra-fast TRENCHSTOP 5 IGBTs with half-rated free-wheeling SiC Schottky barrier diodes to achieve a perfect cost-performance ratio for both hard and soft switching topologies. With their superior performance, optimized power density and leading quality, the power devices are ideally suited for VMAX’s on-board chargers.
“We are proud to choose Infineon’s CoolSiC Hybrid device in our next-generation OBC, achieving higher reliability, stability, improved performance, and power density. This deepens our already strong partnership with Infineon and drives technological application innovation through close collaboration, working together to promote the thriving development of new energy vehicles,” said Jinzhu Xu, PL Director& Chief Engineer, R&D Department at VMAX.
“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with VMAX with our highly efficient hybrid products,” said Robert Hermann, Vice President for Automotive High Voltage Chips and Discretes at Infineon. “Together, we will continue to drive e-mobility advancements, providing efficient solutions that meet the requirements of the industry in terms of performance, quality and system cost.”
With its fast, hard switching TRENCHSTOP 5 650 V IGBT co-packed with zero reverse recovery CoolSiC Schottky diode, the hybrid discrete benefits from very low switching losses at switching speeds above 50 kHz. This makes the device an excellent option for high-power electric vehicle charging systems.
In addition, the robust 5 th generation CoolSiC Schottky diode offers increased robustness against surge currents, maximizing reliability. Furthermore, the diffusion soldering of the SiC diode has improved the thermal resistance (R th) to the package for small chip sizes, resulting in increased power switching capability.
With these features, it enables optimum system reliability and longevity, meeting the stringent requirements of the automotive industry. To further maximize compatibility with existing designs, the product also features a pin-to-pin compatible design based on the widely used D²PAK package.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Wolfspeed, Inc. announced the expansion of an existing long-term silicon carbide wafer supply agreement with a leading global semiconductor company. The expanded agreement, which is now worth approximately $275 million in total, calls for Wolfspeed to supply the company with 150mm silicon carbide bare and epitaxial wafers, reinforcing both companies’ visions for an industry-wide transition from silicon to silicon carbide semiconductor power devices.
“As the global leader in silicon carbide wafer production, Wolfspeed is uniquely positioned to be a critical supplier of high-quality and advanced silicon carbide materials at scale. We will continue to be an important partner to power device manufacturers who need the highest-quality silicon carbide wafers to service their customers,” said Dr. Cengiz Balkas, SVP and GM of Materials for Wolfspeed.
“This agreement further strengthens our long-time partnership with a best-in-class power semiconductor manufacturer. Our collective efforts are helping to address the rapidly expanding opportunity for silicon carbide and better address the unfulfilled demand that exists in the marketplace today.”
The adoption of silicon carbide-based power solutions is rapidly growing across multiple markets, including industrial and EVs. Silicon carbide solutions enable smaller, lighter and more cost-effective designs, converting energy more efficiently to unlock new applications in electrification. This supply agreement will enable silicon carbide applications in a broad range of industries, such as: renewable energy and storage, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, industrial power supplies, traction and variable speed drives.
Wolfspeed is the global leader in the manufacturing of silicon carbide wafers and epitaxial wafers. The company is currently expanding its manufacturing capacity in the United States and has plans to open a new, automated materials factory in Siler City, North Carolina later this year that will produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers. The new materials factory will increase Wolfspeed’s current materials production capacity by ten times.
Original – Wolfspeed
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JEDEC Solid State Technology Association announced the publication of JEP198: Guideline for Reverse Bias Reliability Evaluation Procedures for Gallium Nitride Power Conversion Devices. Developed by JEDEC’s JC-70.1 Gallium Nitride Subcommittee, JEP198 is available for free download from the JEDEC website.
JEP198 presents guidelines for evaluating the Time Dependent Breakdown (TDB) reliability of GaN power transistors. It is applicable to planar enhancement-mode, depletion-mode, GaN integrated power solutions, and cascode GaN power transistors.
This publication covers suggested stress conditions and related test parameters for evaluating the TDB reliability of GaN power transistors using the off-state bias. The stress conditions and test parameters for both High Temperature Reverse Bias Stress and Application Specific Stress-Testing are designed to evaluate the reliability of GaN transistors over their useful lifetime under accelerated stress conditions.
“We are becoming more dependent on power electronics in all facets of our daily lives. As such, the technologies behind those systems are advancing and so too must the device-specific qualification processes. The new GaN-focused Guideline for Reverse Bias Reliability Evaluation is a critical step toward achieving that goal,” said Ron Barr, VP of Quality and Reliability, Transphorm and Co-Chair of the Task Group 701_1.
“This was a collaborative effort conducted by both GaN semiconductor and end product manufacturers. I’m proud of the work the task group delivered. It is an important framework to ensure cross-industry uniformity that will, in the end, provide power system manufacturers the necessary confidence when designing with GaN devices.”
“With the rise of renewable energy and electrification of our lives, the efficiency of power semiconductors is becoming more critical. This is where GaN power semiconductors have proven to be a valuable technology. The Guideline for Reverse Bias Reliability Evaluation is another step in improving confidence in GaN Technology and the products that are on and being brought to market,” said Dr. Kurt Smith, VP of Reliability and Qualification at VisIC Technologies and Chair of JC-70.1.
“This document was developed through collaboration of the multi-corporation team of industry experts to represent the best practices for evaluating GaN devices. It was a long multi-year process to reach consensus and the team is to be commended for the quality document and all of the hard work that went into it.”
Original – JEDEC
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Infineon Technologies AG announced a partnership with Shenzhen based Sinexcel Electric Co., Ltd., a global leader in core power equipment and solutions for the Energy Internet. Infineon will provide Sinexcel with its industry-leading 1200 V CoolSiC™ MOSFET power semiconductor devices in combination with EiceDRIVER™ compact 1200 V single-channel isolated gate drive ICs to further improve the efficiency of energy storage systems.
Driven by the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy and the new energy wave, the domestic energy storage market has maintained sustained and rapid development in recent years. According to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in the first half of 2023, the newly installed capacity of energy storage reached 8.63 GWh, equivalent to the total installed capacity of previous years.
The efficiency and power density of energy storage systems are important factors of product competitiveness, while the size, weight and cost of energy storage systems are closely related to the energy conversion efficiency and directly affect the product cost. Therefore, power semiconductor components play a crucial role.
“The SiC power solution is an important component for future green energy production and storage applications. Infineon’s cooperation with Sinexcel in the field of energy storage inverters enables energy storage systems to achieve advantages such as high efficiency, small size, and light weight, providing a solid guarantee for high-reliability and high-performance energy storage systems,” said Mr. Yu Daihui, Senior Vice President of Infineon Technologies and Head of Green Industrial Power Division in Greater China.
“By using Infineon’s SiC devices, Sinexcel’s energy storage products are obviously more compact and flexible, with significantly higher efficiency and lower losses, which reduces the heat dissipation cost of systems, is conducive to the long-term efficient and stable operation of products, and helps end users improve their operational stability and shorten their return on investment cycle.
This greatly improves the system competitiveness of our products and enhances the trust of clients in our energy storage products and the brand awareness of Sinexcel. We hope that in the future, Infineon will further provide high-performance and high-stability components to help enhance the competitiveness of Sinexcel’s products on the client side,” said Mr.Wei Xiaoliang, Deputy General Manager of Sinexcel.
With more than 20 years of product development and application experience in the SiC field, Infineon has been working nonstop to develop more sophisticated SiC products. Due to their high power density, Infineon’s 1200 V CoolSiC MOSFETs can reduce losses by 50 percent and provide ~2 percent additional energy without increasing the battery size, which is especially beneficial for high-performance, lightweight and compact energy storage solutions.
By using Infineon’s 1200 V CoolSiC MOSFETs and EiceDRIVER compact 1200 V single-channel isolated gate drive ICs, Sinexcel’s energy storage converters achieve high power density, minimum electromagnetic radiation and interference, high protection performance and high reliability. This allows a system efficiency of up to 98 percent, which is 1 percent higher than that of traditional solutions, reaching the industry-leading level and better meeting the needs of on-grid and off-grid energy storage applications in both domestic and overseas markets.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Navitas Semiconductor and SHINRY, global industry leader of on-board power supply and strategic supplier to Honda, Hyundai, BYD, Geely, XPENG, BAIC and many more leading automobile manufacturers, announced the opening of an advanced, joint R&D power laboratory to accelerate the development of New-Energy Vehicle (NEV) power systems enabled by Navitas’ GaNFast™ technology.
Next-gen gallium nitride (GaN) is replacing legacy silicon power chips due to superior high-frequency and high-efficiency characteristics. GaN delivers faster charging, faster acceleration and longer-range, accelerating market adoption of NEVs and the transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.
On January 16th, 2024, Peter (Jingjun) Chen, COO of SHINRY, along with Navitas’ Gene Sheridan, CEO and Navitas’ Charles (Yingjie) Zha, VP and GM plus other senior executives attended the joint lab’s opening ceremony at SHINRY headquarters in Shenzhen.
The joint lab accelerates development projects, with leading-edge GaN technology combining with innovative system-design skills and engineering talent to enable unprecedented high power density, lightweight, efficient designs that translate to faster charging and extended range, with faster time-to-market.
The joint lab brings together experienced, highly-professional engineers from Navitas and SHINRY to build efficient, collaborative R&D platforms. Navitas’ own dedicated EV system Design Center, located in Shanghai will provide comprehensive technical support for the joint lab.
Navitas will not only supply SHINRY with leading-edge, trusted power devices, but will also engage in system-level R&D from the initial stages of product specification and design, through to test platforms and customized packaging solutions. The result will be more efficient, higher power density, more reliable, and cost-effective power systems for NEVs.
“SHINRY always pursues technological innovation. As early as 2012, SHINRY began applying Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOS, and in 2019, SHINRY initiated research on the application of GaN and has been actively seeking strategic partners.” said Peter (Jingjun) Chen, COO of SHINRY.
“As an advanced supplier in the field, Navitas will assist in creating more advanced, energy-efficient, and higher-efficiency power system products. I believe the establishment of this joint lab will comprehensively accelerate the design and market launch of SHINRY’s products and further enhance the market competitiveness of SHINRY products.”
“We are excited to join with SHINRY to establish a new lab for next-gen power semiconductors, assisting SHINRY in creating advanced power systems.” said Gene Sheridan, Navitas’ co-founder & CEO. “SHINRY’s mission to change the way of travel aligns closely with Navitas’ Electrify Our World™ mission. We believe that through our joint efforts, leading GaN technologies will enter the power systems of NEVs for more end-users, contributing to the vigorous growth of the new energy industry.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Acquired by Infineon Technologies in October 2023, GaN Systems has been recognized as the “Graduate Of The Year” by The Global Cleantech 100. The announcement was made at Cleantech Forum North America in San Francisco.
The award recognizes the exceptional contribution legacy GaN Systems has made to sustainable innovation and their successful management team as rated by the financial investors on the 80-member Cleantech Group Expert Panel. This 2024 award rounds out several years of recognition in GaN Systems’ sustainability journey which includes entry in to the Global Cleantech 100 Hall of Fame (1 of only 14 companies ever) and the 2023 Global Cleantech 100 winner (1 of only 100 companies globally in 2023).
The acquisition of GaN Systems has significantly accelerated Infineon’s gallium nitride (GaN) roadmap and further strengthens its leadership in power systems by offering a broad product portfolio combined with leading edge application know-how in the development of GaN-based solutions. Infineon’s expertise and in-depth knowledge in GaN paves the way for more energy-efficient and CO 2-saving technology solutions that support decarbonization.
“My congratulations go out to all legacy GaN Systems employees for this recognition and winning multiple Cleantech awards. We are glad to have these smart and curious minds on board at Infineon,” said Adam White, Division President at Power & Sensor Systems at Infineon. “Thanks to unrivalled R&D resources, a comprehensive understanding of applications and a large number of customer projects, Infineon now leverages the full potential of GaN Systems to become a leading GaN Powerhouse fostering the transformation towards green energy.”
Cleantech® Group is a leading global authority on global cleantech innovation. The Global Cleantech 100 program has been running since 2009. This highly anticipated annual report publishes a list of companies with the most promising ideas in cleantech.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Infineon Technologies AG announced its joint Innovation Application Center in Shenzhen with Anker Innovations, a global leader in charging technology. With the center already fully operating, it is paving the way for more energy-efficient and CO2-saving charging solutions that support decarbonization.
Driven by the growing consumer demand for faster charging solutions due to an increasing usage of mobile devices, laptops and other battery-powered devices, the idea of establishing an Anker-Infineon Innovation Application Center dated back to 2021. After two years of preparation, the joint lab now serves as R&D hub for industry experts to develop power-delivery (PD) fast charging solutions with higher power density, mainly based on Infineon’s next-generation Hybrid Flyback (HFB) controller product family and the CoolGaN™ IPS for fast chargers above 100W.
Anker has already brought several successful products to the market, such as the industry-leading 100W+ fast charger device powered by Infineon’s CoolGaN in 2022. With the Innovation Application Center Anker and Infineon will even shorten the application cycle and accelerate the time to market for future products.
“Anker is an important customer for Infineon,” said Christian Burrer, Vice President of Systems & Application Marketing of Power & Sensor Systems Division at Infineon Technologies. “We have already started a strong cooperation in the charging field, with product and system solutions covering several Infineon product lines. In the field of PD charging, we provide our customers a comprehensive product portfolio, including state-of-the-art power controllers, first-class switching power supplies, leading silicon MOSFET and GaN transistor performance, and more.”
Beyond charging solutions, the joint lab is focusing on a more diversified range of consumer applications, driven by Infineon’s expertise in wide-bandgap materials such as gallium nitride (GaN). The acquisition of GaN Systems in 2023 has significantly accelerated Infineon’s GaN roadmap and further strengthens its leadership in power systems through mastery of all relevant power semiconductor technologies.
“In 2023, Anker achieved success in many markets such as China and Europe. This would not have been possible without Infineon’s GaN technology solutions and the strong collaboration between our companies. We look forward to even intensifying our partnership with Infineon”, said by Kang Xiong, General Manager of the charging business unit at Anker Technologies.
Original – Infineon Technologies
