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Infineon Technologies AG announced the closing of the acquisition of GaN Systems Inc. (“GaN Systems”). The Ottawa-based company brings with it a broad portfolio of gallium nitride (GaN)-based power conversion solutions and leading-edge application know-how. All required regulatory clearances have been obtained and GaN Systems has become part of Infineon effective as of the closing.
“GaN technology is paving the way for more energy-efficient and CO 2-saving solutions that support decarbonization,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon. “The acquisition of GaN Systems significantly accelerates our GaN roadmap and further strengthens Infineon’s leadership in power systems through mastery of all relevant power semiconductor technologies. We welcome our new colleagues from GaN Systems to Infineon.”
Infineon now has a total of 450 GaN experts and more than 350 GaN patent families, which expands the company’s leading position in power semiconductors and considerably speeds up time-to-market. Both companies’ complementary strengths in IP and application understanding as well as a well-filled customer project pipeline put Infineon in an excellent position to address various fast-growth applications.
On 2 March 2023, Infineon and GaN Systems announced that the companies had signed a definitive agreement under which Infineon would acquire GaN Systems for US$830 million. The acquisition, an all-cash transaction, was funded from existing liquidity.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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The Infineon Technologies AG Supervisory Board has appointed Elke Reichart to the Management Board effective November 1, 2023. As Chief Digital Transformation Officer (CDTO), she succeeds Constanze Hufenbecher, who has decided not to renew her expiring contract. As CDTO, Elke Reichart will among other things be responsible for group-wide digitalization projects, IT infrastructure and Infineon’s sustainability strategy.
“Fully leveraging the opportunities of the digital transformation is a key leadership task. I am therefore delighted to have Elke Reichart, an internationally experienced and high-profile technology manager, join the Infineon Management Board. She has proven in her career that she can further develop international organizations and successfully implement digitization projects,” said Herbert Diess, Chairman of Infineon’s Supervisory Board. “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Constanze Hufenbecher for her outstanding work. She has successfully built up the CDTO department and together we decided that November 1 was a suitable time to hand over the baton.”
“Green and digital transformation go hand in hand – and Infineon is driving both. In this context, digitalization is also a crucial lever for our own company. I am very much looking forward to working with Elke Reichart. She will bring new perspectives and impetus to the Management Board and use her extensive experience to help lead Infineon into an even more successful future,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon.
“I would like to sincerely thank Constanze Hufenbecher for the good collaboration. With the Digital Agenda and the Sustainability Strategy, she has laid important foundations and shaped a culture of cross-departmental collaboration.”
“Digitalization is an integral part of Infineon’s strategy. A differentiating service and product portfolio, better interaction with customers, faster and more efficient processes: digital solutions support Infineon’s strategy in many ways. I look forward to soon being part of this great company and I thank the Supervisory Board for their trust,” says Elke Reichart.
Elke Reichart was Chief Digital Officer of TUI Group from 2018 to 2021, where she was responsible for the Group’s digitalization strategy, among other things. Prior to that, she held various management positions at Hewlett Packard over a period of 25 years, including Vice President Strategy & Planning at HP’s headquarters in Palo Alto (California). During her time at HP, Elke Reichart was responsible for various transformation programs, each with a volume of several billion US dollars.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Infineon Technologies AG and Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have signed a multi-year supply agreement for silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) power semiconductors. Infineon will build and reserve manufacturing capacity to supply SiC as well as Si power modules and chips to Hyundai/Kia until 2030. Hyundai/Kia will support the capacity build-up and capacity reservation with financial contributions.
“Infineon stands as a valued strategic partner, boasting steadfast production capabilities and distinct technological prowess within the power semiconductor market,” said Heung Soo Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Strategy Office (GSO) at Hyundai Motor Group. “This partnership not only empowers Hyundai Motor and Kia to stabilize its semiconductor supply but also positions us to solidify our leadership in the global EV market, underpinned by our competitive product lineups.”
“The future car will be clean, safe and smart and semiconductors are at the heart of this transformation. As a trusted partner, we are proud to advance our long-term partnership with Hyundai/Kia,” said Peter Schiefer, President of Infineon’s Automotive Division. “We contribute premium products of high quality, our system knowledge and application understanding combined with continued investments in manufacturing capacity to address the increasing demand for automotive power electronics.”
Infineon’s power semiconductors are key enablers for the transition to electromobility. This transition will lead to strong market growth for power semiconductors, especially those based on wide bandgap materials like SiC.
With the significant expansion of its Kulim fab, Infineon will build the world’s largest 200-millimeter SiC power fab and further strengthen its market-leading role as a high-quality, high-volume supplier to the automotive industry. In line with Infineon’s multi-site strategy, the Kulim facility will complement Infineon’s current manufacturing capacity in Villach, Austria, and further capacity expansions in Dresden, Germany.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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At its annual Technology Summit in Europe beginning September 27th, GlobalFoundries (GF), is highlighting key advancements to its technology platforms and solutions that will enable better power efficiency, enhanced performance and security for applications across critical end markets including IoT, smart mobile and automotive. These milestones highlight GF’s semiconductor manufacturing leadership in product development, validation and market readiness for critical applications in IoT, 5G and 6G smartphones, and electric vehicles.
Building upon the GF Technology Summit in North America this past August, the sessions in Munich will focus on leading at the edge, manufacturing semiconductors in a digital, AI-driven, world through the evolving landscape of communications infrastructure and the electrification of vehicles.
GF’s President and CEO, Dr. Thomas Caulfield, will kick-off the event with a keynote address entitled “Essential chips fuel the era of AI,” which emphasizes the transformative potential of these technologies and their significance in the rapidly evolving semiconductor landscape. In addition, Peter Schiefer, Infineon Division President Automotive, Jean-Marc Chery, President and CEO of STMicroelectronics and Karsten Schnake, Board Member for Procurement at of ŠKODA AUTO & Head of Project COMPASS at Volkswagen AG will take the stage.
Dr. Thomas Caulfield, joined by leaders in the fabless semiconductor and end-markets industries, will also share GF’s corporate vision for manufacturing the essential chips we rely on to live, work, and connect. In addition, GF’s technology and product management leaders, accompanied by partners in the semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem, will outline the company’s technology and solutions roadmap.
Held at the Sofitel Munich Bayerpost, the two-day summit also introduces a new format. This year, representatives from GF’s Technology, Business, and Commercial teams are on hand to host small group meetings, facilitating deeper discussions and partnerships with GF customers.
Original – GlobalFoundries
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Infineon Technologies AG has taken over as head and coordinator of the broad-scope European research project EECONE (European ECOsystem for greeN Electronics), intended to make electronics in Europe more sustainable. The objective is to investigate the corresponding technologies along the entire value chain, from design, manufacture and use all the way to recycling. EECONE is one of the Key Digital Technologies research projects supported by the European Union as a Joint Undertaking. 49 partners are participating in the project, which has a volume of approximately 35 million euros total costs. The project is being funded by the European Union and the national governments of the participating companies with around 20 million euros.
“Electronics are fundamental to improving the sustainability of many applications. But this is not sufficient, electronics themselves have to become greener,” says Constanze Hufenbecher, Infineon Management Board member and Chief Digital Transformation Officer. “Infineon is pleased to take on the lead role in the research project EECONE in order to advance the circular economy together with our partners along the value chain. The only way to achieve sustainability from design and use and all the way to recycling is by working together.”
EECONE is aligned with the 6R concept (Reduce, Reliability, Repair, Reuse, Refurbish, Recycle); the amount of materials required by electronics is to be reduced, electronics are to be made more reliable, easier to fix and use again, and easier to recondition and to recycle. The project will investigate a total of ten application examples from the widest possible variety of fields in terms of developing green electronics. The applications are from the areas Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Health, Information and Communication Technologies, Aviation and Agriculture.
Focus points are for example reducing the amount of material used by making circuit boards thinner or smaller, or improving sustainability by introducing materials which are easier to separate during recycling. Facilitating the replacement of not only circuit boards but also of semiconductors is to make it easier to repair devices. The technologies involved could also make it possible to reuse and recycle electronic components. The project will in addition develop technologies which for example generate and store their own power in IoT devices.
New, ecologically friendly materials are to make it easier to recycle lithium-ion batteries. Artificial Intelligence will be used to prolong the service lives of electronic equipment, while tools for more sustainable electronic design, including comprehensive impact assessments for the use of electronics, are to be developed as well. EECONE also covers the use, dissemination and standardization of electronics and will train specialists in handling electronic refuse.
The EECONE research project has a planned duration of three years. It will establish decisive foundations for the sustainable development, manufacturing and use of electronics in Europe. The on-site inaugural event of the project will be held in Toulouse on 20 and 21 September 2023.
The 49 EECONE Research Project Partners
- 4Mod Technology (FR)
- Acorde Technologies Sag (ES)
- Agencia Estatal Consejo superior de Investigaciones cientificas (ES)
- Aniah SAS (FR)
- Arcelik A.S. (TR)
- Atea Sverige AG (SE)
- AT&S – Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (AT)
- Centre national de la Recherche scientifique (FR)
- Charokopeio Panepstimio (EL)
- Commissariat a l’Energie atomique et aux Energies alternatives (FR)
- Dassault Systemes (FR)
- Design and Reuse (FR)
- EcoDC AG (SE)
- Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (DE)
- Get electronique (FR)
- Infineon Technologies AG (DE)
- Institut mikroelektronickych Aplikaci SRO (CZ)
- Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (FR)
- Interactive fully electrical Vehicles SRL (IT)
- Interuniversitair Microelectronica Centrum (BE)
- Leonardo – Societa per Azioni (IT)
- Luna Geber Engineering SRL (IT)
- Melsen Tech A/S (DK)
- Nerosubianco SRL (IT)
- Orbotech Ltd. (IL)
- Ozyegin Universitesi (TR)
- Premo, S.L. (ES)
- Research Institutes of Sweden AB (SE)
- Robert Bosch GmbH (DE)
- Siec Badawcza Lukasiewecz – Instytut Mikroelektronik i Fotoniki (PL)
- Silicon Austria Labs GmbH (AT)
- Smartsol SIA (LV)
- Soitec SA (FR)
- STMicroelectronics SAS (FR)
- Synano BV (NL)
- Technicka Univerzita v Liberci (CZ)
- Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (DE)
- Tecnologias Servicios telematicos y Sistemas SA (ES)
- Teknologisk Institut (DK)
- Tetradis (FR)
- Thales dis France SAS (FR)
- Università degli Studi di Perugia (IT)
- Université catholique de Louvain (BE)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
- Ustav teorie informace a Automatzizace AV CR VVI (CZ)
- Vitesco Technologies France (FR)
- Weeecycling (FR)
Associated Partners
- Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique SA – Recherche et Developpement (CH)
- Swiss Vault Systems GmbH (CH)
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Power semiconductors based on silicon carbide (SiC) offer several advantages, like high efficiency, power density, voltage resistance, and reliability. This creates opportunities for new applications and improved charging station technology innovations. Infineon Technologies announced a collaboration with Infypower, a Chinese market leader in new energy vehicle charging. Infineon will provide INFY with the industry-leading 1200 V CoolSiC™ MOSFET power semiconductor devices to improve the efficiency of electric vehicle charging stations.
“The collaboration between Infineon and Infypower in the field of charging solutions for electric vehicles (EV) provides an excellent system-level technology solution for the local EV charging station industry,” said Dr. Peter Wawer, Division President of Infineon’s Green Industrial Power Division. “It will significantly improve charging efficiency, accelerate charging speed, and create a better user experience for owners of electric cars.”
“With Infineon’s more than 20 years of continuous advancement in SiC product offering and the strength of integrated technology, Infypower can consolidate and maintain its technological outstanding position in the industry by adopting state-of-the-art product processes and design solutions“, said Qiu Tianquan, President of Infypower China. “We can also set a new standard for charging efficiency of DC chargers for new energy vehicles. As a result, customers can enjoy more convenience and unique value, promoting the healthy development of the EV charging industry.”
SiC’s high power density enables the development of high-performance, lightweight, and compact chargers, especially for supercharging stations and ultra-compact wall-mounted DC charging stations. Compared to traditional silicon-based solutions, SiC technology in EV charging stations can increase efficiency by 1 percent, reducing energy losses and operating costs. In a 100 kW charging station, this translates to 1 kWh of electricity savings, saving 270 Euros annually and reducing carbon emissions by 3.5 tons. This drives the increasing adoption of SiC power devices in EV charging modules.
As one of the first SiC power semiconductor manufacturers to use trench gate technology for transistors, Infineon has introduced an advanced design that provides high reliability for chargers. The devices offer a high threshold voltage and simplified gate driving . The CoolSiC MOSFET technology has been subjected to marathon stress tests and gate voltage jump stress tests before commercial release and regularly afterwards in form of monitoring to ensure highest gate reliability.
By integrating Infineon’s 1200 V CoolSiC MOSFETs, Infypower’s 30 kW DC charging module offers a wide constant power range, high power density, minimal electromagnetic radiation and interference, high protection performance and high reliability. In this way, it is well suited for the fast charging demand of most EVs while possessing a higher efficiency of 1 percent compared with other solutions on the market. Consequently, significant energy savings and carbon dioxide emission reduction are achieved, which are leading at a global level.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Infineon Technologies AG expands its 7th generation TRENCHSTOP™ IGBT family with the discrete 650 V IGBT7 H7 variant. The devices feature a cutting-edge EC7 co-packed diode with an advanced emitter-controlled design, coupled with high-speed technology to address the escalating need for environmentally conscious and highly efficient power solutions.
Using the latest micro-pattern trench technology, the TRENCHSTOP IGBT7 H7 offers excellent control and performance, resulting in significant loss reduction, improved efficiency and higher power density. As a result, the device is ideal for various applications such as string inverters, energy storage systems (ESS), electric vehicle charging applications, and traditional applications such as industrial UPS and welding.
In a discrete package, the 650 V TRENCHSTOP IGBT7 H7 can deliver up to 150 A. The portfolio includes variants from 40 A to 150 A, offered in four different package types: TO-247-3 HCC, TO-247-4, TO-247-3 Plus and TO-247-4 Plus. The TO-247-3 HCC variant of the TRENCHSTOP IGBT 7 H7 features a high creepage distance.
For improved performance, the TO-247 4-pin packages (standard: IKZA, Plus: IKY) are particularly well suited, as they not only reduce switching losses, but also offer additional benefits such as lower voltage overshoot, minimized conduction losses and the lowest reverse current loss. With these features, the TRENCHSTOP IGBT 7 H7 simplifies the design and minimizes the need to connect devices in parallel.
In addition, the 650 V TRENCHSTOP IGBT 7 H7 features robust moisture resistance for reliable operation in harsh environments. The device is qualified for industrial use according to the relevant tests of JEDEC47/20/22, especially HV-H3TRB, making it well suited for outdoor applications.
Designed to meet the demand for green and efficient power applications, the IGBT offers significant improvements over the previous generations. As a result, the TRENCHSTOP IGBT 7 H7 is the ideal complement for the NPC1 topology often used in applications such as solar and ESS.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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The electrification of the transportation system is advancing continuously. In addition to passenger cars, 2- and 3-wheelers as well as light vehicles are increasingly being electrified. Therefore, the automotive market for Electronic Control Units (ECUs) powered by 24 V-72 V is expected to keep growing in the coming years.
To address this development, Infineon Technologies AG is complementing its OptiMOS™ 5 portfolio of automotive MOSFETs in the 60 V and 120 V range with new products in the high power packages TOLL, TOLG and TOLT. They are offering a compact form factor with very good thermal performance combined with excellent switching behavior.
The six new products offer a narrowed gate threshold voltage (V GS(th)) enabling designs with parallel MOSFETs for increased output power capability. The IAUTN06S5N008, IAUTN06S5N008G and IAUTN06S5N008T are 60 V MOSFETs, and the IAUTN12S5N017, IAUTN12S5N018G and IAUTN12S5N018T are 120 V MOSFETs.
The on resistance (R DS(on)) ranges from 1.7 mΩ to 1.8 mΩ for the 120 V MOSFETs and is 0.8 mΩ for the 60 V MOSFETs. This makes the 60V MOSFETs perfectly suited for high power 24 V supplied CAV applications or for HV-LV DCDC converters in xEVs. The 120 V MOSFETs are used in 48 V – 72 V supplied traction inverters for 2- or 3-wheelers and light electric vehicles.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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TSMC, Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, and NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced a plan to jointly invest in European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC) GmbH, in Dresden, Germany to provide advanced semiconductor manufacturing services. ESMC marks a significant step towards construction of a 300 mm fab to support the future capacity needs of the fast-growing automotive and industrial sectors, with the final investment decision pending confirmation of the level of public funding for this project. The project is planned under the framework of the European Chips Act.
The planned fab is expected to have a monthly production capacity of 40,000 300 mm (12-inch) wafers on TSMC’s 28/22 nanometer planar CMOS and 16/12 nanometer FinFET process technology, further strengthening Europe’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem with advanced FinFET transistor technology and creating about 2,000 direct high-tech professional jobs. ESMC aims to begin construction of the fab in the second half of 2024 with production targeted to begin by the end of 2027.
The planned joint venture will be 70 percent owned by TSMC, with Bosch, Infineon, and NXP each holding 10 percent equity stake, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions. Total investments are expected to exceed 10 billion euros consisting of equity injection, debt borrowing, and strong support from the European Union and German government. The fab will be operated by TSMC.
“This investment in Dresden demonstrates TSMC’s commitment to serving our customers’ strategic capacity and technology needs, and we are excited at this opportunity to deepen our long-standing partnership with Bosch, Infineon, and NXP,” said Dr. CC Wei, Chief Executive Officer of TSMC. “Europe is a highly promising place for semiconductor innovation, particularly in the automotive and industrial fields, and we look forward to bringing those innovations to life on our advanced silicon technology with the talent in Europe.”
Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management: “Semiconductors are not only a crucial success factor for Bosch. Their reliable availability is also of great importance for the success of the global automotive industry. Apart from continuously expanding our own manufacturing facilities, we further secure our supply chains as an automotive supplier through close cooperation with our partners. With TSMC, we are pleased to gain a global innovation leader to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem in the direct vicinity of our semiconductor plant in Dresden.”
“Semiconductors are not only a crucial success factor for Bosch. Their reliable availability is also of great importance for the success of the global automotive industry. Apart from continuously expanding our own manufacturing facilities, we further secure our supply chains as an automotive supplier through close cooperation with our partners. With TSMC, we are pleased to gain a global innovation leader to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem in the direct vicinity of our semiconductor plant in Dresden.”said Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management
“Our joint investment is an important milestone to bolster the European semiconductor ecosystem. With this, Dresden is strengthening its position as one of the world’s most important semiconductor hubs that is already home to Infineon’s largest frontend site,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies. “Infineon will use the new capacity to serve the growing demand particularly of its European customers, especially in automotive and IoT. The advanced capabilities will provide a basis for developing innovative technologies, products and solutions to address the global challenges of decarbonization and digitalisation.”
“NXP is very committed to strengthening innovation and supply chain resilience in Europe,” said Kurt Sievers, President and CEO of NXP Semiconductors. “We thank the European Union, Germany, and the Free State of Saxony for their recognition of the semiconductor industry’s critical role and for their true commitment to boost Europe’s chip ecosystem. The construction of this new and significant semiconductor foundry will add much needed innovation and capacity for the range of silicon required to supply the sharply increasing digitalization and electrification of the automotive and industrial sectors.”
Original – Bosch
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Semiconductor industry players Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, Nordic Semiconductor, NXP® Semiconductors, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., have come together to jointly invest in a company aimed at advancing the adoption of RISC-V globally by enabling next-generation hardware development.
Formed in Germany, this company will aim to accelerate the commercialization of future products based on the open-source RISC-V architecture. The company will be a single source to enable compatible RISC-V based products, provide reference architectures, and help establish solutions widely used in the industry. Initial application focus will be automotive, but with an eventual expansion to include mobile and IoT.
At its core, RISC-V encourages innovation, allowing any company to develop cutting-edge, customized hardware based on an open-source instruction set. Further adoption of the RISC-V technology will promote even more diversity in the electronics industry – reducing the barriers to entry for smaller and emergent companies and enabling increased scalability for established companies.
The company calls on industry associations, leaders, and governments, to join forces in support of this initiative which will help increase the resilience of the broader semiconductor ecosystem.
The company formation will be subject to regulatory approvals in various jurisdictions.
- Robert Bosch GmbH
“Bosch is convinced that initiatives promoting the RISC-V open specifications will bring the global mobility market a significant step further. The initiative now planned will greatly help to establish a reliable and efficient EU-based semiconductor ecosystem,” said Jens Fabrowsky, Executive Vice President at Bosch and responsible for the semiconductor business.
- Infineon Technologies AG
“As vehicles become software-defined and dependability requirements increase due to electrification and connectivity, for example, as well as through trends like autonomous driving, there is a general need for standardization and ecosystem compatibility across the industry, with CPUs being a key IP. We are proud to support the establishment of trusted RISC-V based automotive products with this initiative. The knowledge and expertise of leading market players will unleash the full potential of RISC-V in the automotive sector,” said Peter Schiefer, Division President of Infineon’s Automotive Division.
- Nordic Semiconductor
“Nordic Semiconductor is a committed and enthusiastic supporter of the RISC-V initiative and stands ready to drive the project forward. Nordic’s IoT solutions represent the leading edge of low power wireless technology and to retain that position it’s critical we maintain continuous access to efficient and powerful embedded microprocessors. An open collaboration with like-minded companies to continually enhance innovative RISC-V microprocessor IP and ensure a robust and reliable supply of the technology is the ideal answer to this challenge,” said Svein-Egil Nielsen, CTO/EVP R&D and Strategy, Nordic Semiconductor.
- NXP Semiconductors
“NXP is proud to be part of a new EU-based joint endeavor to pioneer fully certified RISC-V-based IP and architectures, initially for the automotive industry. The creation of a one-stop-shop ecosystem where customers can select turnkey assets will strengthen the adoption of RISC-V across many European industries,” said Lars Reger, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at NXP Semiconductors. “We thank the Artificial Intelligence Center Hamburg (ARIC) e.V. for their support of this collaboration.”
- Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
“We are excited to come together with other industry players to drive the expansion of the RISC-V ecosystem through development of next-generation hardware. Qualcomm Technologies has been investing in RISC-V for more than five years and we’ve integrated RISC-V micro-controllers into many of our commercial platforms. We believe RISC-V’s open-source instruction set will increase innovation and has the potential to transform the industry,” Ziad Asghar, Senior Vice President of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Original – Infineon Technologies
