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The University of Arkansas celebrated an important milestone with the groundbreaking on a building that Chancellor Charles Robinson suggested might someday rival the U of A’s most iconic structure, Old Main, in significance to the university and the state of Arkansas.
Robinson and other university leaders, including University of Arkansas System President Don Bobbitt and members of the U of A System Board of Trustees, as well as researchers and industry leaders, gathered at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park in South Fayetteville to celebrate construction of the national Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility, or MUSiC.
The new semiconductor research and fabrication facility will produce microelectronic chips made with silicon carbide, a powerful semiconductor that outperforms basic silicon in several critical ways. The facility will enable the federal government – via national laboratories – businesses of all sizes, and other universities to prototype with silicon carbide, a capability that does not presently exist elsewhere in the U.S.
Work at the facility will bridge the gap between traditional university research and the needs of private industry and will accelerate technological advancement by providing a single location where chips can go from developmental research to prototyping, testing and fabrication.
“This fills a gap for our nation, allowing companies, national laboratories and universities around the nation to develop the low-volume prototypes that go from their labs to fab, ultimately scaling up to the high-volume manufacturing…” said Alan Mantooth, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering and principal investigator for the MUSiC facility. “We fill that gap. And there’s no other place like it in the world. This is the only place that will be able to do that with silicon carbide.”
The 18,660 square-foot facility, located next to the National Center for Reliable Electrical Power Transmission at the research and technology park, will address obstacles to U.S. competitiveness in the development of silicon-carbide electronics used in a wide range of electronic devices, circuits and other consumer applications. The building will feature approximately 8,000 square feet of clean rooms for fabrication and testing.
Education and training within the facility will also accelerate workforce development, helping supply the next generation of engineers and technicians in semiconductor manufacturing, which Mantooth and other leaders have said is critical for bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S., after it was offshored in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“This is truly a special day in the life of the University of Arkansas,” said Robinson. “This building, it really doesn’t need to be hyped. It is a very important building, and you just know it, important for our university, important for our state, important for our nation.”
Robinson invoked another groundbreaking, that of Old Main, the university’s oldest and best known structure, which the university celebrated Aug. 17, 1873, almost exactly 150 years ago.
“I took that 150th anniversary of the groundbreaking as a good sign that we are moving in a timely way,” Robinson said, “doing important work in establishing this building.”
Friday’s groundbreaking occurred a day after the university and the Arkansas Department of Commerce hosted the CHIPS AMERICA Summit, an event in which research, industry and governmental leaders discussed semiconductor-related opportunities resulting from the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science Act passed by Congress in 2022. The event featured Adrienne Elrod, director of external and government affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Program Office, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack and Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald.
During the summit, Elrod stated that prior to the coronavirus pandemic, 90% of the world’s leading-edge chips were manufactured at one facility in Taiwan. The federal government prioritized the onshoring of this critical technology as a result of manufacturing and production shortages of essential computer chips during the pandemic.
“If America is going to compete and lead the world over the next century, we must invest in our technology and manufacturing,” Elrod said. “We want to make sure, at the very least, that we have two new large-scale clusters of leading- edge fabs created (in the United States).”
As Mantooth mentioned, the University of Arkansas can contribute to this effort on a fundamental level and is uniquely positioned to take advantage of opportunities offered by the CHIPS and Science Act, which is providing approximately $280 billion in funding to stimulate domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors.
“The university is leaning forward and has now secured funding for projects important to microelectronics research and development,” Womack said during Thursday’s summit. “The university has positioned itself, as I say often, to be the preeminent university research location for microelectronics. … I am grateful for the bright minds at the University of Arkansas with a proven track record of success who will make this happen.”
Original – University of Arkansas
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The rapid growth of technology over the past century brought us as many advantages as many disadvantages including the accelerating global warming with its dramatic consequences we face every day in various parts of the Earth. So far no one found a solution how to stop this process, but there are many solutions how to slow it down.
Today we try to respond to this challenge with carbon neutrality initiatives launched in many countries across the globe. And one of the major steps in this green society program is the electrification of passenger and commercial vehicles.
Right now, companies have various approaches to vehicle electrification including mild-hybrid electric vehicles MHEV, full hybrid electric vehicles HEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles PHEV, battery electric vehicles BEV, and fuel-cell electric vehicle FCEV. What some time ago seemed like a big step forward is a reality we live in now.
And to make this dream come true became possible with the help of power semiconductors. For a long time, semiconductors were used in the automotive industry, and the evolution of power semiconductor materials pushed the transition to the electrification of vehicles. Electric vehicles’ performance and cost depend on the technical level of the motor control system.
Previously, silicon (Si) IGBT modules served as the heart of electronic control systems with their relatively high switching speed and low conduction loss. But with the growth of silicon carbide (SiC) technology, EVs step into the new era of electrification.
Silicon-based semiconductors have been dominating the market for many decades. No wonder, several generations of power electronics engineers were passing their knowledge and experience working with silicon semiconductors. Through time they have short-listed their preferred solutions produced by several companies.
Based on the current requirements for the improvement of battery life and dynamic performance of electric passenger and commercial vehicles, higher efficiency, and fewer parts and materials are required to further improve the power density of inverters and electric drive assemblies. All this becomes possible with the transition from Si to SiC power devices. But when it comes to the all-new silicon carbide semiconductors and the rapidly growing EV industry, many face difficulties to make the right choice of the silicon carbide devices available in the market.
Recently I launched a poll to understand what is most important for EV companies when choosing a supplier of SiC power devices. Power electronics engineers from the semiconductor and automotive industries shared their experience and unanimously confirmed that the performance of the power devices plays a crucial role when choosing a supplier. The poll results are:
- Performance/characteristics – 66%
- Price – 16%
- Lead time – 9%
- Brand – 9%
Based on the results it is clear that for the EV market today characteristics of SiC power devices and price play the most important role. After all, consumers want high performance and reliability at affordable prices.
Nowadays SiC is still more expensive than Si. However, the prices have dropped a lot in the past decade, and the growing number of SiC fabs promises to drop the price in the future. Fingers crossed, in the nearest future, the dream of the consumers for the high-performance, reliable, and affordable EV will come true.
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Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has developed 2200 V silicon carbide (SiC) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) for photovoltaic (PV) inverters. A two-level inverter with the new devices realized higher frequency operation and lower power loss than a conventional three-level silicon (Si) insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter. The new MOSFETs also contribute to simplification of inverter systems and reductions in their size and weight.
Three-level inverters enjoy the advantage of low switching losses because the voltage applied to switching devices in the inverters during off-state is half the line voltage. Against this, two-level inverters have fewer switching modules than three-level inverters, realizing a simpler, smaller, and lighter system. However, they require semiconductors with higher breakdown voltage, as the applied voltage is equal to the line voltage. Also, demand for semiconductors with both low loss and high breakdown voltage is growing as 1500 V DC line voltage systems are introduced in photovoltaic and other renewable energy markets.
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has developed 2200 V Schottky barrier diode (SBD)-embedded SiC MOSFETs for two-level inverters in 1500 V DC voltage systems. The impurity concentration and thickness of the drift layer has been optimized to maintain the same relationship between the on-resistance and the breakdown voltage as our existing products, and also to achieve high resistance to cosmic rays, a requirement for PV systems. It has also been confirmed that embedding SBDs clamped parasitic PN junctions between the p-base regions and the n-drift layer secure high reliability in reverse conduction.
Switching energy loss for the developed all-SiC module is far lower than for the Si module (Si IGBTs + Si fast recovery diodes) with the same 2000 V rated voltage class. Estimates of inverter power dissipation found that the developed SiC module achieves higher frequency operation twice that of a conventional Si IGBT, as well as a 37% lower loss for the two-level SiC inverter against the three-level Si inverter. The higher frequency operation enables downsizing and weight reduction of other system components, such as heat sinks and filters.
Original – Toshiba
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The University of Arkansas has taken the next step to becoming a national leader in the United States’ semiconductor economy. Semiconductors, such as silicon, are essential materials in most electronic devices and advance performance in fields such as healthcare, national defense, computing and transportation.
This August, the university began construction on the national Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility, or MUSiC. Capable of silicon or silicon carbide chip fabrication, this new semiconductor research and fabrication facility will enable the government, businesses of all sizes, and universities to prototype in silicon carbide, introducing a capability that does not presently exist in the U.S.
This unique facility will offer low-volume prototyping for high-volume manufacturing, bridging the gap between traditional university research and the needs of private industry. This will accelerate both workforce development and technological advancement in semiconductors by providing a single location where chips can be go from developmental research to prototyping, testing and fabrication.
Alan Mantooth, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering at the U of A, is principal investigator for MUSiC. He stated that with MUSiC, the university could “begin training the next generation at a variety of degree levels to provide well-trained and educated talent for onshoring semiconductor manufacturing that domestic suppliers offshored in the late 90s and early 2000s. Our training will be equally applicable to silicon and silicon carbide and other materials.”
Construction coincides with the CHIPS America Summit on Aug. 17, an invitation-only event for research, industry and governmental leaders from across the nation to discuss CHIPS and Science Act semiconductor-related opportunities and the ways in which the U of A and the State of Arkansas are uniquely positioned to lead.
The summit will feature Director of External and Government Affairs for the U.S Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Program Office, Adrienne Elrod. U.S. Representative Steve Womack and Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald will also participate.
In addition to the MUSiC facility, the U of A is also home to the first Energy Frontier Research Center in Arkansas, as part of a team of researchers who received $10.35 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Center for Manipulation of Atomic Ordering for Manufacturing Semiconductors is dedicated to investigating the formation of atomic orders in semiconductor alloys and their effects on various physical properties. This research program will enable reliable, cost-effective and transformative manufacturing of semiconductors.
Researchers at the U of A previously established the MonArk NSF Quantum Foundry to accelerate the development of quantum materials and devices. In collaboration with Montana State University, and other member universities, the foundry supports the study of 2-D materials — consisting of a single layer of bonded atoms — by aiding researchers and facilitating the exchange of ideas across academia and industry. The project leads the fabrication of 2-D material quantum devices and their characterization, using low-temperature electronic transport and optoelectronic techniques.
The U of A’s existing and expanding research foundation means it’s uniquely positioned to take advantage of the recent CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science Act, which is providing approximately $280 billion in funding to stimulate domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors.
As a result of manufacturing and production shortages of essential computer chips during the pandemic, which are overwhelmingly manufactured overseas, the federal government has prioritized the onshoring of this critical technology.
About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines.
The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.
The national Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility, or MUSiC, will provide opportunities for the government and business of all sizes, and universities to prototype in silicon carbide, introducting a capability that does not currently exist in the U.S.
Original – University of Arkansas
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Transphorm, Inc. announced it has demonstrated up to 5 microsecond short circuit withstand time (SCWT) on a GaN power transistor with a patented technology. The achievement is the first of its kind on record, marking an important milestone for the industry as a whole. It proves Transphorm GaN’s ability to meet the required short circuit capabilities of rugged power inverters such as servo motors, industrial motors, and automotive powertrains served traditionally by silicon IGBTs or silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs— an over $3 billion GaN TAM over the next 5 years.
The demonstration was developed with support from Yaskawa Electric Corporation, a long-term strategic partner of Transphorm’s and a global leader in low and medium voltage drives, servo systems, machine controllers, and industrial robots. This makes GaN a highly attractive power conversion technology for servo systems, as it allows for higher efficiency and reduced size compared to incumbent solutions.
To do that, GaN must pass stringent robustness tests—of which, short-circuit survivability is the most challenging. In case of short-circuit faults, the device must survive extreme conditions with both high current and high voltage. The system can take up to a few microseconds to detect the fault and shut down the operations. During this time, the device must withstand the fault on its own.
“If a power semiconductor device cannot survive short-circuit events, the system itself may fail. There was a strong perception that GaN power transistors could not meet the short circuit requirements needed for heavy-duty power applications such as ours,” said Motoshige Maeda, Department Manager of Fundamental R&D Management Department, Corporate Technology Division, Yaskawa. “Having worked with Transphorm for many years, we believed that perception to be unfounded and have been proven right today. We’re excited about what their team has accomplished and look forward to demonstrating how this new GaN feature can benefit our designs.”
The short-circuit technology has been demonstrated on a newly designed 15 mΩ 650 V GaN device. Notably, that device reaches a peak efficiency of 99.2% and a maximum power of 12 kW in hard-switching conditions at 50 kHz. The device demonstrated not only performance, but also reliability, passing high-temperature high-voltage stress requirements.
“Standard GaN devices can withstand short-circuit for only a few hundredths of nanoseconds, which is too short for fault detection and safe shut-down. However, with our cascode architecture and key patented technology, we were able to demonstrate short-circuit withstand time up to 5 microseconds with no additional external components, thus retaining low cost and high performance,” said Umesh Mishra, CTO and Co-Founder, Transphorm.
“We understand the demands of high-power, high-performance inverter systems. We have a long history of strong innovation, and we’re proud to say that experience helped us bring GaN to the next level. This is yet another validation of Transphorm’s global leadership in high voltage GaN robustness and reliability and will be a gamechanger for GaN in motor drives and other high-power systems.”
The full description explaining the SCWT achievement, the demonstration analysis, and more is expected to be presented at a major power electronics conference next year.
Original – Transphorm
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Navitas Semiconductor announced that its CRPS185 3,200 W “Titanium Plus” server reference design not only surpasses the stringent 80Plus Titanium efficiency requirements, but also effectively satisfies the increasing power demands of AI data center power.
The rapid development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing with AI, and Google’s Bard, has penetrated all aspects of people’s lives. New power-hungry AI processors like NVIDIA’s DGX GH200 ‘Grace Hopper’ demand up to 1,600 W each, are driving power-per-rack specifications from 30-40 kW up to 100 kW per cabinet. Meanwhile, with the global focus on energy conservation and emission reduction, as well as the latest European regulations, server power supplies must exceed the 80Plus ‘Titanium’ efficiency specification.
Navitas’ reference designs dramatically accelerate customer developments, minimize time-to-market, and set new industry benchmarks in energy efficiency, power density and system cost, enabled by GaNFast power ICs. These system platforms include complete design collateral with fully-tested hardware, embedded software, schematics, bill-of-materials, layout, simulation and hardware test results.
In this case, the ‘Common Redundant Power Supply’ (CRPS) form-factor specification was defined by the hyperscale Open Compute Project, including Facebook, Intel, Google, Microsoft, and Dell. Now, Navitas’ CRPS185 platform delivers a full 3,200 W of power in only 1U (40 mm) x 73.5mm x 185 mm (544 cc), achieving 5.9 W/cc, or almost 100 W/in3 power density. This is a 40% size reduction vs, the equivalent legacy silicon approach and easily exceeds the Titanium efficiency standard, reaching over 96.5% at 30% load, and over 96% stretching from 20% to 60% load, creating a ‘Titanium Plus’ benchmark, critical for data center operating models.
The CRPS185 uses the latest circuit designs including an interleaved CCM totem-pole PFC with full-bridge LLC. The critical components are Navitas’ new 650V GaNFast power ICs, with robust, high-speed integrated GaN drive to address the sensitivity and fragility issues associated with discrete GaN chips. Additionally, GaNFast power ICs offer extremely low switching losses, with a transient-voltage capability up to 800 V, and other high-speed advantages such as low gate charge (Qg), output capacitance (COSS) and no reverse-recovery loss (Qrr). As high-speed switching reduces the size, weight and cost of passive components in a power supply, Navitas estimates that GaNFast power ICs save 5% of the LLC-stage system material cost, plus $64 per power supply in electricity over 3 years.
Compared to traditional ‘Titanium’ solutions, the Navitas CRPS185 3,200 W ‘Titanium Plus’ design running at a typical 30% load can reduce electricity consumption by 757 kWh, and decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 755 kg over 3 years. This reduction is equivalent to saving 303 kg of coal. Not only does it help data center clients achieve cost savings and efficiency improvements, but it also contributes to the environmental goals of energy conservation and emission reduction.
In addition to data center servers, this solution can also be widely used in applications such as switch/router power supplies, communications, and other computing applications.
“The popularity of AI applications like ChatGPT is just the beginning. As data center rack power increases by 2x-3x, up to 100 kW, delivering more power in a smaller space is key,” said Charles Zha, VP and GM of Navitas China. “We invite power designers and system architects to partner with Navitas and discover how a complete roadmap of high efficiency, high power density designs can cost-effectively, and sustainably accelerate their AI server upgrades.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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The decarbonization trend will result in strong market growth for power semiconductors, in particular those based on wide bandgap materials. As a leader in Power Systems, Infineon Technologies AG is now taking a further, decisive step to shape this market: By significantly expanding its Kulim fab – over and above the original investment announced in February 2022 – Infineon will build the world’s largest 200-millimeter SiC (silicon carbide) Power Fab. The planned expansion is backed by customer commitments covering about five billion euros of new design-wins in automotive and industrial applications as well as about one billion euros in pre-payments.
Over the next five years Infineon will additionally invest up to five billion euros in Kulim during a second construction phase for Module Three. The investment will lead to an annual SiC revenue potential of about seven billion euros by the end of the decade, together with the planned 200-millimeter SiC conversion of Villach and Kulim. This highly competitive manufacturing base will support Infineon’s SiC market share target of 30% towards the end of the decade. Infineon is confident that the company’s SiC revenue in the fiscal year 2025 will come in ahead of the target of one billion euros.
“The market for silicon carbide shows accelerating growth, not only in automotive but also in a broad range of industrial applications such as solar, energy storage and high-power EV charging. With the Kulim expansion, we will secure our leadership position in this market,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon. “With the industry’s leading scale and a unique cost position, we are leveraging our competitive position of best-in-class SiC trench technology, the broadest package portfolio and unrivaled application understanding. These factors are the areas of differentiation and success in the industry.”
Infineon has been awarded new design wins of about five billion euros along with about one billion euros in prepayments from existing and new customers: In the automotive sector this includes six OEMs, three of them from China. Among the customers are Ford, SAIC and Chery. In the area of renewable energies customers include SolarEdge and three leading Chinese photovoltaic and energy storage systems companies.
In addition, Infineon and Schneider Electric agreed on a capacity reservation including prepayments for power products based on silicon and silicon carbide. Infineon and the respective customers will provide more details in separate announcements in the near future. The prepayments will contribute positively to Infineon’s cash flow in the coming years and shall be fully repaid in connection with the agreed sales volumes by 2030 at the latest.
The Right Honourable Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, expressed his appreciation for Infineon’s commitment to creating a significant wide bandgap hub in the country. “Malaysia is putting in maximum efforts to meet its national target to decarbonize its economy and achieve net zero by 2050. Malaysia’s continued appeal as a preferred investment destination comes with a well-established landscape for developing innovative and sustainable technologies. In this vein, Infineon’s vision on green technology and sustainability puts it right at home in Malaysia.
Infineon and other well-established German corporations’ continued faith in Malaysia is a vote of confidence in Malaysia’s new economic growth agenda premised on inclusivity and sustainability, enabled by strong policies on knowledge transfer, quality investments, business enablement and socio-economic well-being based on equitable sharing of the nation’s wealth.”
The Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), His Hon. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz lauded Infineon’s expansion and said, “Infineon’s expansion of their world-class silicon carbide facility in Kulim marks a significant milestone in Malaysia’s pursuit of developing advanced manufacturing capabilities, creating high-skilled employment opportunities and positioning the country at the forefront of enabling green technologies, which are crucial to achieving our global sustainable development goals.
The innovative power semiconductor technologies manufactured in the SiC Power Fab will also bolster Malaysia’s position as a key player in the world’s semiconductor ecosystem, with a growing role specifically in the sustainable technology supply chain. I am heartened by Infineon’s sharing of Malaysia’s commitment to address the impact of climate change and I look forward to our long-term partnership for the further development of Malaysia’s green technologies ecosystem.”
Sustainability is a key element in the planning, construction and operation of the fab. The building is designed in a way that allows Infineon to make responsible use of resources such as electricity and water.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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SiC power devices are changing and reshaping many industries today, providing numerous benefits over fundamental silicon-based semiconductors. One of the key advantages is a dramatically reduced power losses with increased efficiency achieved through silicon carbide exceptional material properties. SiC power semiconductors can operate at higher frequencies and temperatures delivering higher power densities and reduced cooling requirements. One of the industries benefiting much from the use of SiC power devices is the energy storage.
Adopting silicon carbide technology, energy storage systems can deliver great energy saving and much better overall system performance.
Reliability is one of the major requirements for any power electronics system, and ESS is no exception. That is why many ESS companies today choose SiC technology over Si. Silicon carbide power devices provide increased robustness and resistance when it comes to operating in extreme conditions. SiC temperature robustness allows to eliminate the risk of the system overheating – one of the major reasons for failure.
Leading the development process of SiC power devices for a variety of emerging applications including vehicle electrification, photovoltaics, and, of course, battery energy storage systems, Leapers Semiconductor is expanding its portfolio of the hybrid modules with the 3-level power module to provide increased reliability for the ESS, solar, and the other 3-level applications.
The all new DFH10AL12EZC1 power module integrates 1200V SiC MOSFET chips and 1200V IGBT chips in E2 package designed to correspond to high requirements set by the above-mentioned applications.
Leapers Semiconductor DFH10AL12EZC1 hybrid power module features:
- Blocking voltage:1200V
- Rds(on): 9.5mΩ (VGS =15V)/8.3mΩ (VGS =18V)
- Low Switching Losses
- High current density
- Press FIT Contact Technology
- 175°C maximum junction temperature
- Thermistor inside
DFH10AL12EZC1 hybrid power modules guarantee the enhanced efficiency, improved power conversion, and increased overall reliability and durability with reduced system size.
The other applications that will benefit from DFH10AL12EZC1 include:
- Solar inverter Systems
- Three-level Systems
- Energy Storage Systems
- High Frequency Switching Systems
Original – Leapers Semiconductor
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The opening ceremony of WeEnwin Jinshan Module Plant was held in the Shanghai Jinshan High-tech Industrial Development Zone. The ceremony marked the official commencement of WeEn’s world-first module plant, intended to produce various types of power module products utilized in consumer electronics, communications, new energy, and automotive applications. The products connect customers and the ecosystems, actively fostering the high-quality development of the industry.
Markus Mosen, WeEn Semiconductors Co., Ltd. CEO; Chen Song, COO; Tang Ziming, CFO; Wu Rui, CHRO; Peng Xijun, general manager of Shanghai New Jinshan Industrial Investment & Development Co., Ltd; Zhao Fei, deputy director of the Jinshan District Development and Reform Commission; Cao Qin, deputy director of the Jinshan District Investment Promotion Office; other relevant department heads of the New Jinshan Development Company; WeEn boards Zhang Xinyu, Chang Liang, and Zhu Fenglin; together with representatives from WeEn’s global partners, numerous customers, vendors, approximately 200 guests attended the event to personally witness this historic step in WeEn’s new journey.
Located in the Shanghai Bay Area High-tech Industrial and Development Zone, WeEn Jinshan Module Plant covers an area of 11,000 square meters. The construction of the plant began in August 2022. Eight months later in April 2023, the building quality and fire inspection compliance tests were successfully completed.
WeEn Semiconductors Co., Ltd. has invested approximately RMB 200 million in the wholly-owned new Jinshan Module Plant, which has introduced over a hundred of the industry’s most advanced power module production and testing equipment to meet the market’s mainstream demand for various types of module products.
It is worth underscoring that the newly established WeEnwin Module Plant has simultaneously set up an advanced packaging R&D center to develop and mass produce cutting-edge packaging technologies while researching the applicability of new materials.
To optimize efficiency and reliability, the fully automated module production line is equipped with top-notch processing capabilities, including lead-free chip bonding/silver sintering bonding, lead-free soldering/ultrasonic soldering of terminals, aluminum wire bonding, and copper tab connections. Currently, WeEnwin module plant. has obtained ISO9001 and IATF16949 certifications and undergone VDA6.3 process audits, evidence of the company’s robust system that guarantees top-quality products.
Peng Xijun, general manager of Shanghai New Jinshan Industrial Investment & Development Co., Ltd, warmly congratulated WeEnwin for the opening, noting that the event was a testimony of the concerted efforts of all parties. He further stated that the collective endeavors have significant importance in elevating the power semiconductor industry’s development level and accelerating the concentration of the optoelectronic chip industry in the high-tech industrial and development zone.
In addition, he expressed his wish for the high-tech zone, as it embarks on its new era journey, to continue harnessing resources and efforts and attracting policies aimed at strengthening the innovation chain, extending the industrial chain, and improving the ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Markus Mosen, WeEn Semiconductors Co., Ltd. CEO stated, “Given the favorable winds, this is the perfect time to set sail.” WeEn’s investment in the world’s first module factory has successfully transitioned from planning to operation according to schedule. Therefore, we remain grateful for the strong support from the Jinshan District People’s Government, Shanghai Bay Area High-tech Industrial Development Zone, and FITA Tech.
There is no doubt that without the collective efforts of our partners and team, this accomplishment would not have been possible. At WeEnwin, we will seize the opportunities of the era, leverage our product and technological strengths, and provide reliable and efficient power semiconductor devices to our customers and partners. As we inject new impetus into pragmatic cooperation, we remain confident in our ability to propel the ship of power device development toward a new journey.”
The operation of the WeEnwin Jinshan Module plant will enhance the efficiency of WeEn Semiconductors Co., Ltd.’s entire industry chain layout and services. In addition to producing the most advanced SCR / FRD / IGBT / SIC modules, the factory will significantly improve the experience of customers and partners by offering innovative modules and packaging services for the automotive and renewable energy markets. It is projected that the first batch of products from the new Jinshan Module Factory for Chinese and overseas customers will be shipped in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Original – WeEn Semiconductors
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GaN Systems has partnered with ACEpower to expedite the widespread adoption of GaN technology in electric vehicles. By harnessing GaN Systems’ cutting-edge power semiconductors, extensive expertise in EV power electronics, and ACEpower’s exceptional track record in high-power system design and high-volume manufacturing capabilities, this partnership will accelerate the GaN-based electric vehicle power market in China.
GaN power semiconductors play a pivotal role in realizing the compact size, lightweight, and high efficiency demanded by the next generation of high-performance electric vehicles. By harnessing GaN Systems’ automotive-grade, high-performance GaN power transistors alongside ACEpower’s deep expertise in the power electronics industry, the companies are combining their distinctive capabilities to unlock the full potential of GaN performance advantages.
In addition to other areas, the partnership will focus on topology optimization and advanced integrated power modules, and high-frequency magnetics design to enhance crucial electric vehicle efficiency and power density significantly.
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with GaN Systems to accelerate GaN adoption in electric vehicles,” said Albert Wang, CEO of ACEpower. “Our longstanding relationship with GaN Systems, coupled with their unrivaled expertise in high reliability, automotive-qualified GaN semiconductors—a vital component for electric vehicles—brings great business opportunities in the fast growth Chinese EV market. Together, we are committed to driving innovation that will revolutionize electric vehicles, particularly in efficiency and power density, delivering substantial benefits to the industry.”
This combination tackles fundamental challenges related to traditionally larger, heavier, inefficient, and costlier power systems based on legacy silicon power transistors. GaN power transistors enable higher efficiency and power density at a faster switching speed for onboard chargers, DC/DC converters, and traction inverters. These advancements translate into faster charging, extended driving range, and reduced overall system costs.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant leap in our cooperative efforts with ACEpower to drive GaN adoption in the Chinese electric vehicle market,” said Jim Witham, CEO of GaN Systems. “This collaboration paves the way for disruptive and game-changing advancements in next-generation electric vehicles. Building upon our strong industry relationships with key players such as BMW, Toyota, and Vitesco, GaN Systems and ACEpower are poised to make a substantial impact in accelerating GaN adoption across the electric vehicle platform.”
GaN Systems and ACEpower’s shared vision extends to capturing substantial market value in emerging sectors such as data centers and electric vehicles. Future initiatives encompass the joint development of high-power density GaN-powered OBCs rated at 6.6kW and 11kW for electric vehicles, solidifying their commitment to driving innovation and advancing the power industry.
Original – GaN Systems
