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Power Integrations announced an agreement to acquire the assets of Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies, a developer of vertical gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor technology. The transaction is expected to close in July 2024, after which all key Odyssey employees are expected to join Power Integrations’ technology organization.
The acquisition supports the company’s ongoing development roadmap for its proprietary PowiGaN™ technology, which is featured in many of the company’s product families including InnoSwitch™ ICs, HiperPFS™-5 power-factor-correction ICs and the recently launched InnoMux™-2 family of single-stage, multiple-output ICs. The company introduced 900- and 1250-volt versions of PowiGaN technology and products in 2023.
Commented Dr. Radu Barsan, Power Integrations’ vice president of technology: “Power Integrations has been at the forefront of GaN development and commercialization since we began shipping products with PowiGaN technology in 2018. We are executing on an ambitious roadmap that includes driving toward cost parity with silicon MOSFETs and expanding the voltage and power capabilities of PowiGaN.
Our goal is to commercialize a cost-effective high-current and high-voltage GaN technology to support higher-power applications currently served by silicon carbide (SiC), at a much lower cost and higher performance enabled by the fundamental material advantages of GaN over SiC. The experience of the Odyssey team in high-current vertical GaN will augment and accelerate these efforts, and we are delighted to add them to our team.”
Added Dr. Richard Brown, Odyssey co-founder and CEO: “The Odyssey team and I are excited to join Power Integrations in accelerating their GaN technology roadmap. As the first company to commercialize high-voltage GaN, Power Integrations continues to lead the industry in driving the technology forward in terms of cost, voltage and current, as well as the design of system-level products that take full advantage of the capabilities of GaN.”
Original – Power Integrations
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Efficient Power Conversion Corp (“EPC”) announced that the China National Intellectual Property Administration (“CNIPA”) has validated the claims of EPC patent titled “Compensated gate MISFET and method for fabricating the same” (Chinese Patent No. ZL201080015425.X) for enhancement-mode GaN semiconductor devices.
The decision on April 30, 2024 follows an April 2, 2024 announcement from the CNIPA that confirmed the validity of key claims of EPC’s Chinese patent titled “Enhancement mode GaN HEMT device and method for fabricating the same” (Chinese Patent No. ZL201080015388.2). Both EPC patents were challenged by Innoscience (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. (“Innoscience”).
Compared with traditional silicon-based power devices, GaN technology represents a transformational leap with higher efficiency, faster switching speeds and smaller size. GaN devices are used in artificial intelligence servers, self-driving vehicles, next-generation rapid chargers, drones, e-bikes, and humanoid robots, among other applications. Chinese Patent No. ZL201080015425.X covers the fundamental design and configuration of EPC’s proprietary enhancement mode GaN field effect transistors (FETs) with reduced gate leakage. Most industry participants employ the GaN gate technology covered by this patent.
“These are two of the foundational patents supporting our broad portfolio of innovations, and we are pleased that the CNIPA has again confirmed the validity of our valuable intellectual property,” said Alex Lidow, CEO and Co-founder of EPC. “Quick, fair and efficient decisions such as these reinforce the confidence in legal systems that companies need to operate globally.”
In May 2023, EPC filed complaints in the U.S. federal court in Los Angeles and in the U.S. International Trade Commission, asserting that Innoscience (Zhuhai) Technology Co., Ltd. and its affiliates infringe patents of its foundational patent portfolio, which include the U.S. counterparts of EPC’s Chinese Patent Nos. ZL201080015425.X and ZL201080015388.2. In response, Innoscience had petitioned the CNIPA to invalidate the two Chinese patents.
Original – Efficient Power Conversion
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Infineon Technologies AG will provide silicon carbide (SiC) power modules HybridPACK™ Drive G2 CoolSiC™ and bare die products to Xiaomi EV for its recently announced SU7 until 2027. Infineon’s CoolSiC-based power modules allow for higher operating temperatures, resulting in best-in-class performance, driving dynamics and lifetime.
Traction inverters based on the technology can, for example, further increase electric vehicle range. The HybridPACK Drive is Infineon’s market-leading power module family for electric vehicles, with almost 8.5 million units sold since 2017.
Infineon provides two HybridPACK Drive G2 CoolSiC 1200 V modules for the Xiaomi SU7 Max. In addition, Infineon supplies Xiaomi EV with a broad range of products per car, including, for example, EiceDRIVER TM gate drivers and more than ten microcontrollers in various applications. The two companies also agreed to further cooperate on SiC automotive applications to fully utilize the benefits of Infineon’s SiC portfolio.
Zhenyu Huang, Vice President of Xiaomi EV and General Manager of the Supply Chain Department, said: “Infineon is an important partner with leading technologies and resilient manufacturing capabilities in power semiconductors as well as a highly scalable microcontroller product portfolio. The cooperation between the two companies will not only help stabilize the supply of silicon carbide for Xiaomi EV, but also help us build a high-performance, safe and reliable luxury car with leading-edge features for our customers.”
Peter Schiefer, President of Infineon’s Automotive division, said: “We are very pleased to work with dynamic players such as Xiaomi EV and provide them with silicon carbide products designed to enhance the performance of electric cars even further. As the leading partner to the automotive industry, we are well positioned with our broad product portfolio, system understanding and multi-site manufacturing base to shape the mobility of the future.”
This collaboration contributes to Infineon’s position as the number one partner of the global automotive industry. According to the latest data from TechInsights, Infineon is the largest semiconductor supplier to the automotive industry. In addition to its number one position in automotive power semiconductors, Infineon also took the lead in the field of automotive microcontrollers last year.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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The U of A celebrated a milestone with the topping-out of the Multi-User Silicon Carbide Research and Fabrication Facility.
More than 100 students, faculty, state leaders and citizens were on hand to sign the steel topping-out beam and hear remarks from Kim Needy, dean of the College of Engineering, and Alan Mantooth, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering.
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 United States.
Work at the research and fabrication 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.
The 21,760-square-foot facility, located next to the National Center for Reliable Electrical Power Transmission at the Arkansas 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.
Original – University of Arkansas
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SemiQ has begun a known-good-die (KGD) screening program that delivers high-quality, electrically sorted and optically inspected advanced SiC MOSFET technology ready for back-end processing and direct die attachment.
Known-good-die from SemiQ ensures consistent electrical parameters, enabling customers to rely on repeatable performance for high end-of-line yield when building equipment such as high-voltage supplies, traction inverters, and power conditioning systems. Uniform die parameters also simplify the connection of multiple devices in high-power modules.
“SiC is a powerful technology aiding the global drive for sustainability and our known-good-die SiC MOSFETs from SemiQ provide important performance advantages, such as near-constant junction capacitance, low insertion loss, and high isolation needed for high-frequency applications,” says Michael Tsang, VP, Product Engineering and Operations at SemiQ. “Thanks to this program, customers can receive quality-assured dies that will streamline and improve productivity and deliver predictable and repeatable performance in high-efficiency applications.”
The KGD program is active now and applies to the complete portfolio of SemiQ’s QSiC™ 1200V SiC MOSFETs, ranging from 20mΩ to 80mΩ. This portfolio supports robust and efficient electrification across automotive, eMobility, renewable energy, industrial power, and other applications.
KGD devices are supplied post-singulation on a choice of carrier media including blue tape, pre-cured UV tape, and tape and reel to ease integration with customers’ processes. For more information, please visit SemiQ’s KGD page.
Original – SemiQ
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Transphorm, Inc. and the global leader in adapter USB Power Delivery (PD) Controller Integrated Circuits (IC) Weltrend Semiconductor Inc. announced availability of two new GaN System-in-Packages (SiPs). When combined with Weltrend’s flagship GaN SiP announced last year, the new devices establish the first SiP product family based on Transphorm’s SuperGaN® platform.
The new SiPs—WT7162RHUG24B and WT7162RHUG24C—integrate Weltrend’s high frequency multi-mode (QR/Valley Switching) Flyback PWM controller with Transphorm’s 150 mΩ and 480 mΩ SuperGaN FETs respectively. Like their 240 mΩ predecessor (WT7162RHUG24A), the devices pair with USB PD or programmable power adapter controllers to provide a total adapter solution.
Notably, they also offer several innovative features including the UHV valley tracking charge mode, adaptive OCP compensation, and adaptive green mode control among others that allow customers to design high quality power supplies faster and with fewer components using the simplest design approach.
“When we launched our first GaN SiP last year, it was an important milestone in our company’s evolution. It demonstrated a new GTM strategy for the AC-to-DC power market,” said Wayne Lo, Vice President of Marketing, Weltrend. “Today’s news confirms we’re continuing to serve that space with a wider selection of devices designed to support a wider assortment of product power levels. A total packaged solution with Transphorm’s SuperGaN platform delivers design simplicity with unparalleled performance for devices now ranging from low 30-watt USB-C PD power adapters through to nearly 200-watt chargers, a unique Transphorm GaN capability.”
End product manufacturers seek ways to develop new adapters with a reduced bill-of-materials (BOM) that offer versatility, fast charging, and higher power outputs. Additionally, in many cases they seek to deliver “one-size-fits-all” chargers with multiple ports and/or multiple types of connections. All of this in smaller, lighter weight form factor.
Some key advantages of Transphorm’s normally-off d-mode SuperGaN platform include best-in-class robustness (+/- 20 V gate margin with a 4 V noise immunity) and reliability (< 0.05 FIT) with the ability to increase power density by 50% over silicon. Weltrend’s elegant SiP designs harness those advantages along with its own innovative technologies to create a near plug-and-play solution that speeds design while reducing form factor size.
“SiPs are an important device option when considering the needs of adapter and charger manufacturers,” said Tushar Dhayagude, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and FAE, Transphorm. “These systems require effective power conversion that, while simple to use with integrated functionality, also minimize learning curves to ensure quick design in. The first device released validated the performance and versatility of a SuperGaN SiP. The new devices announced today validate both our companies’ deepening commitment to arming customers with choice.”
Key Specifications WT7162RHUG24A WT7162RHUG24B (new) WT7162RHUG24C (new) Rds(on) 240 mΩ 150 mΩ 480 mΩ Vds min 650 V Power Efficiency > 93% Power Density 26 w/in3 Max Frequency 180 kHz Wide Output
Voltage OperationUSB-C PD 3.0
PPS 3.3V~21VPackage 24-pin 8×8 QFN Key Features Feature Advantage Adjustable GaN FET gate slew rate control Balances out efficiency and EMI compliance External VDD linear regulator circuit not required
(700 V ultra HV start-up current pulled directly from AC Line voltage)Reduces component count Reduced package inductance Maximizes chip performance Fits in a standard 8×8 QFN FF Allows for low profile/small system footprint Original – Transphorm
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ROHM and STMicroelectronics announced the expansion of the existing multi-year, long-term 150mm silicon carbide (SiC) substrate wafers supply agreement with SiCrystal, a ROHM group company. The new multi-year agreement governs the supply of larger volumes of SiC substrate wafers manufactured in Nuremberg, Germany, for a minimum expected value of $230 million.
Geoff West, EVP and Chief Procurement Officer, STMicroelectronics, commented “This expanded agreement with SiCrystal will bring additional volumes of 150mm SiC substrate wafers to support our devices manufacturing capacity ramp-up for automotive and industrial customers worldwide. It helps strengthen our supply chain resilience for future growth, with a balanced mix of in-house and commercial supply across regions”.
“SiCrystal is a group company of ROHM, a leading company of SiC, and has been manufacturing SiC substrate wafers for many years. We are very pleased to extend this supply agreement with our longstanding customer ST. We will continue to support our partner to expand SiC business by ramping up 150mm SiC substrate wafer quantities continuously and by always providing reliable quality”.said Dr. Robert Eckstein, President and CEO of SiCrystal, a ROHM group company.
Energy-efficient SiC power semiconductors enable electrification in the automotive and industrial sectors in a more sustainable way. By facilitating more efficient energy generation, distribution and storage, SiC supports the transition to cleaner mobility solutions, lower emissions industrial processes and a greener energy future, as well as more reliable power supplies for resource-intensive infrastructure like data centers dedicated to AI applications.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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Semilab Zrt. and Fraunhofer IISB announced the official kick-off of their strategic partnership.
Within their new joint lab, located at the IISB in Erlangen, the partners develop state-of-the-art metrology and inspection solutions for (ultra-) wide-bandgap semiconductor materials.
The goal is to take semiconductor metrology to a next level along the value chain, from base material to die. By bringing new features and tools from lab to market, new standards for SiC, GaN and other (U)WBG semiconductors will be set.Original – Fraunhofer IISB
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Navitas Semiconductor announced that Virtual Forest, one of India’s leading electronics design companies specializing in motor control and human interface technologies for consumer appliances, fluid movement and mobility, has adopted its GaNFast™ power integrated circuits (IC) technology for a zero-emission, powerful 3 hp (2,250W) solar-powered irrigation pump.
For many farmers worldwide, irrigating remote crops requires powerful pumps to lift water from rivers and streams up to field-level, with the majority powered by polluting and noisy diesel generators or expensive, lossy long-distance electrical cables. The Virtual Forest solar pump with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) operates in conjunction with solar panel and energy storage to provide robust, energy-independent and pollution-free performance at the point of use.
The 3 hp (2,250W) pump is remotely accessed via quad-band IoT with low power consumption. It can raise over 50 gallons-per-minute of water to a height of over 90 feet, enough to water 3 acres of farmland, and help to produce 10 tonnes of wheat. Further, the IoT enabled solar pump ensures optimal water usage through intelligent analytics, therefore minimizing ground water utilization.
Navitas GaNSense™ half-bridge power ICs monolithically by integrating two GaN power FETs with GaN drivers, level-shifters, protection features and high-efficiency loss-less current sensing. High-efficiency NV6269 half-bridge ICs, in easy-to-use 8×10 mm QFN packages are used in a 3-phase motor inverter, with 3x-5x energy savings vs legacy silicon IGBTs.
“The $450 million solar-pump market in India is expected to reach $1.5 Bn by 2026, calling for a solar revolution on Indian fields,” said Virtual Forest’s CEO, Omer Basith, adding “Reliable, off-grid systems are critical to overcome food insecurity and achieve energy efficiency. Leveraging Navitas’ high-power, efficient GaNSense™ half-bridge, we seek to deliver a robust solution to the market. We are nurturing our dream to drive gigatons of reduction in carbon emissions, thereby making the world a greener place to live in. Hence, our name — Virtual Forest.”
“The design team at Virtual Forest adopted the GaNSense half-bridges very quickly, for a fast time-to-market,” said Alessandro Squeri, Navitas’ Senior Sales Director. “With GaNSense, ‘easy-to-use feature, Virtual Forest comes into the partnership with high efficiency, low component count and a robust design for tough environments.”
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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Infineon Technologies AG supplies its power semiconductor devices to FOXESS, a fast-growing leader in the green energy industry and a manufacturer of inverters and energy storage systems. The two sides aim at promoting the development of green energy.
Infineon will provide FOXESS with its CoolSiC™ MOSFETs 1200 V, which will be used with EiceDRIVER™ gate drivers for industrial energy storage applications. At the same time, FOXESS’ string PV inverters will use Infineon’s IGBT7 H7 1200 V power semiconductor devices.
The global market for photovoltaic energy storage systems (PV-ES) has grown at a high speed in the last years. As competition in the PV-ES market accelerates, improving power density has become key to success, and how to improve efficiency and power density for energy storage applications has attracted much attention. Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFET 1200 V and IGBT7 H7 1200 V series power semiconductor devices adopt the latest semiconductor technologies and design concepts that are tailored to industrial applications.
Mr. Yu Daihui, Senior Vice President and Head of Industrial & Infrastructure of Infineon Technologies Greater China said, “As an industry leader in power semiconductors, we are proud to work closely with FOXESS. We will continue to drive decarbonization by enabling higher power density and more reliable systems for PV-ES applications.”
Mr. Zhu Jingcheng, Chairman of FOXESS, said, “Thanks to the support of Infineon’s advanced components, FOXESS’ products have been significantly improved in terms of reliability and efficiency. This has been an important driving force for FOXESS’ growth. Infineon’s technical support and product quality have not only strengthened our competitiveness, but also expanded our presence in the market. We are confident about the future and look forward to further cooperation with Infineon to jointly promote the development of the industry and create greater value for our customers.”
With a high power density, Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFETs 1200 V 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. FOXESS’ H3PRO 15 kW-30 kW energy storage series uses Infineon’s CoolSiC MOSFETs 1200 V for all models. Thanks to Infineon’s excellent performance, the H3PRO series has achieved an efficiency of up to 98.1 percent and excellent EMC performance; with superior performance and reliability, the H3PRO series has seen rapid sales growth in the global market.
Infineon’s TRENCHSTOP IGBT7 H7 650 V / 1200 V series has lower losses and helps improve the overall efficiency and power density of inverters. In high-power inverter projects, high-current mold packaged discrete devices with current handling capability above 100 A can reduce the number of IGBTs in parallel and replace the IGBT module solution, further improving system reliability and reducing costs; in addition, the H7 series has become an industry benchmark for its high-quality performance and greater resistance to humidity.
At present, FOXESS’ main industrial and commercial model, the R Series 75-110 kW, redefines the overall design of the 100 kW model by using IGBT7 H7 series discretes, and the efficiency of the whole machine can reach up to 98.6 percent. Thanks to the low power loss and high power density of the IGBT7 H7 series in discrete packages, technical problems such as current sharing in the paralleling process can be simplified and optimized.
Every power device needs a driver, and the right driver can make the design a lot easier. Infineon offers more than 500 EiceDRIVER gate drivers with typical output currents of 0.1 A~18 A and comprehensive protection functions including fast short-circuit protection (DESAT), active Miller clamp, shoot-through protection, fault reporting, shutdown, and overcurrent protection, suitable for all power devices including CoolSiC and IGBTs.
Original – Infineon Technologies
