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onsemi has unveiled plans to acquire Qorvo’s Silicon Carbide (SiC) JFET business, a strategic move that enhances its portfolio in high- and mid-voltage power semiconductors. The $115 million deal includes Qorvo’s United Silicon Carbide subsidiary and is expected to close in Q1 2025. This acquisition is projected to expand onsemi’s market opportunity by $1.3 billion by 2030, focusing on AI, data centers, EVs, and industrial markets. By leveraging its vertically integrated SiC supply chain, onsemi aims to boost efficiency, profitability, and innovation across key technology areas.
SiC JFET technology offers superior power efficiency, reduced costs, and versatility in advanced applications, including EV battery systems, AI-driven data centers, and renewable energy solutions. It promises to disrupt traditional silicon-based and GaN technologies, with its superior switching speed, lower on-resistance, and smaller die size. This acquisition positions onsemi to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable, high-performance power solutions in a wide range of industries.
Moreover, SiC JFETs are designed to enable transformative advancements in industrial applications such as power supplies, solar power converters, and energy storage systems. These innovations align with market trends emphasizing higher efficiency and reliability. The technology also offers critical advantages in EV battery safety, ensuring quicker response and long-term dependability through solid-state switches that surpass conventional electromechanical solutions.
By integrating Qorvo’s business, onsemi also strengthens its presence in the competitive AI and data center markets. The shift to higher voltages and power capacities in these areas provides a unique opportunity for SiC JFETs to reduce costs and improve performance, establishing onsemi as a leader in next-generation semiconductor solutions.
Original – onsemi
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onsemi and Würth Elektronik announced the integration of Würth Elektronik’s passive components database into onsemi’s one-of-a-kind Self-Service PLECS® Model Generator (SSPMG). This intuitive web-based platform enables engineers to create custom high-accuracy, high-fidelity PLECS models of complex power electronic applications, which helps identify and fix performance bottlenecks early in the design process. With the addition of Würth Elektronik’s passive system components to SSPMG, the generated switching loss models achieve even higher precision than before.
Relying on laboratory configurations and environments, typical industry PLECS models don’t always reflect the wide range of conditions that component characteristics such as conduction, energy loss and thermal impedance display in practical implementations. In contrast, SSPMG’s capabilities are based on onsemi’s physically scalable SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) models, which are rooted in semiconductor physics and the actual process variations in making the components, resulting in a more accurate representation of their behavior in the circuit.
“SSPMG empowers onsemi customers to autonomously generate system-level PLECS models that are tailored to their specific power application,” said James Victory Doctor of Philosophy, fellow, Modeling and Simulation Solutions, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “Instead of going through long and costly fabrication-based cycles, customers develop and optimize their complete power systems virtually, enabling them to go to market faster.”
“With the seamless integration of Würth Elektronik’s database of SPICE models into onsemi’s SSPMG, design engineers can now select both the active onsemi components and the passive Würth Elektronik components for their application, generating a more accurate switching loss model,” said Dayana Cómbita, strategic partnership manager Europe, Würth Elektronik. “Together, we are paving the way to first-time-right, optimized system designs for our mutual customers.”
SSPMG loss models can be downloaded and then used on customers’ proprietary simulation platforms or uploaded into onsemi’s industry-leading Elite Power Simulator (EPS). EPS provides customers direct insights into how a circuit topology will perform across onsemi’s EliteSiC family of products, PowerTrench® T10 MOSFETs and Field Stop 7 (FS7) IGBTs and IPMs.
Original – onsemi
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onsemi announced its wafer fab in East Fishkill (EFK), New York, has been accredited by the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as a Category 1A Trusted Supplier. The accreditation enables onsemi to manufacture secure advanced semiconductors for a variety of critical aerospace and defense applications at the site. onsemi’s East Fishkill fab is the only 300 mm power discrete and image sensor fab in the U.S. and the company’s second accredited fab in addition to its Gresham, Oregon site.
“Power and sensing technologies are vital in modern defense systems, providing the reliable energy and data required for robust, intelligent and efficient operations,” said Sudhir Gopalswamy, group president Intelligent Sensing and Analog and Mixed-Signal Groups of onsemi. “With this accreditation, onsemi is now positioned to offer our industry-leading power and sensing technologies through our secure and trusted manufacturing facilities that will enable the DoD to have the reliable and cutting-edge solutions they need.”
Achieving the trusted foundry accreditation is a rigorous process that ensures a supplier meets comprehensive security and operational criteria, including the protection of mission-critical functions for trusted systems and networks. This thorough approach safeguards the integrity and confidentiality of onsemi’s industry-leading intelligent power and sensing technologies. As a trusted supplier, onsemi is able to provide custom-designed, custom-manufactured or tailored power and sensing solutions for specific DoD applications.
Original – onsemi
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onsemi announced results for the third quarter of 2024 with the following highlights:
- Revenue of $1,761.9 million
- GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP gross margin of 45.4% and 45.5%, respectively
- GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP operating margin of 25.3% and 28.2%, respectively
- GAAP diluted earnings per share and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.93 and $0.99, respectively
- Returned 75% of free cash flow over the last 12 months to shareholders through stock repurchases
“With third-quarter results above expectations, we remain focused on delivering consistent results in the current environment through execution and prudent financial management,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and CEO, onsemi.
“As power demands continue to rise across our key markets, and the need for greater efficiency becomes paramount, we are investing to win across the entire power spectrum to ensure that onsemi is best positioned to gain share in automotive, industrial and AI data center.”
Original – onsemi
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onsemi released the newest generation silicon and silicon carbide hybrid Power Integrated Modules (PIMs) in an F5BP package, ideally suited to boost the power output of utility-scale solar string inverters or energy storage system (ESS) applications. Compared to previous generations, the modules offer increased power density and higher efficiencies within the same footprint to increase the total system power of a solar inverter from 300kW up to 350kW.
This means a one-gigawatt (GW) capacity utility-scale solar farm using the latest generation modules can achieve an energy savings of nearly two megawatts (MW) per hour or the equivalent of powering more than 700 homes per year. Additionally, fewer modules are required to achieve the same power threshold as the previous generation, which can reduce power device component costs by more than 25%.
With solar power having achieved the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE), it is increasingly becoming the go-to source for renewable power generation around the world. To compensate for solar power’s variability, utility operators are also adding large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) to ensure a stable energy flow to the grid. To support this combination of systems, manufacturers and utilities require solutions that offer maximum efficiency and reliable power conversion. Every 0.1% of efficiency improvement can equate to a quarter of a million dollars in annual operational savings for every one gigawatt of installed capacity.
“As a variable energy source dependent on sunlight, continual advances in increasing system efficiencies, reliability and advanced storage solutions are needed to be able to maintain the stability and reliability of global grids during peak and off-peak power demand,” said Sravan Vanaparthy, vice president, Industrial Power Division, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “A more efficient infrastructure increases adoption and assures us that, as more solar power generation is built out, less energy is wasted and pushes us forward on a path away from fossil fuels.”
The F5BP-PIMs are integrated with 1050V FS7 IGBT and the 1200V D3 EliteSiC diode to form a foundation that facilitates high voltage and high current power conversion while reducing power dissipation and increasing reliability. The FS7 IGBTs offer low turn-off losses and reduce switching losses by up to 8%, while the EliteSiC diodes provide superior switching performance and lower voltage flicker by 15% compared to previous generations.
These PIMs employ an innovative I-type Neutral Point Clamp (INPC) for the inverter module and a flying capacitor topology for the boost module. The modules also use an optimized electrical layout and advanced Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) substrates to reduce stray inductance and thermal resistance. In addition, a copper baseplate further decreases thermal resistance to the heat sink by 9.3%, ensuring the module remains cool under high operational loads. This thermal management is crucial in maintaining the efficiency and longevity of the modules, making them highly effective for demanding applications that require reliable and sustained power delivery.
Original – onsemi
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onsemi announced results for the second quarter of 2024 with the following highlights:
- Revenue of $1,735.2 million
- GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP gross margin of 45.2% and 45.3%, respectively
- GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP operating margin of 22.4% and 27.5%, respectively
- GAAP diluted earnings per share and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.78 and $0.96, respectively
- Returned ~$650 million of free cash flow over last twelve months to shareholders through stock repurchases
“We remain dedicated to driving growth through market share gains, doubling down on investments in strategic markets, and expanding the breadth of our portfolio of industry-leading products with analog and mixed-signal solutions,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and CEO, onsemi. “As reflected by our recent supply agreement with Volkswagen Group, we also continue to strengthen our silicon carbide leadership position in automotive as we ramp production with leading global OEMs in Europe, North America and China.”
Original – onsemi
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onsemi has signed a multi-year deal with Volkswagen Group to be the primary supplier of a complete power box solution as part of its next-generation traction inverter for its Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). The solution features silicon carbide-based technologies in an integrated module that can scale across all power levels – from high power to low power traction inverters to be compatible for all vehicle categories.
“By offering a complete power system solution that encompasses the entire power sub-assembly, we provide Volkswagen Group with a single, simplified modular and scalable platform that maximizes efficiency and performance for their vehicle lineup,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and CEO of onsemi. “This new approach allows for the customization of power needs and the addition of features for different vehicles without compromising on performance, all while reducing cost.”
Based on the EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs, onsemi’s unique power box solution can handle more power in a smaller package which significantly reduces energy losses. The inclusion of three integrated half-bridge modules mounted on a cooling channel will further improve system efficiency by ensuring heat is effectively managed from the semiconductor to the coolant encasement.
This leads to better performance, improved heat control, and increased efficiency, allowing EVs to drive further on a single charge. By using this integrated solution, Volkswagen Group will be able to easily transition to future EliteSiC-based platforms and remain at the forefront of EV innovation.
“We are very pleased to have onsemi as a strategic supplier for the power box of the traction inverter for our first tranche in the SSP platform. onsemi has convinced us with a deeply verticalized supply chain from the growth of the raw material up to the assembly of the power box,” said Mr. Dirk Große-Loheide, Member of the Extended Executive Committee Group Procurement and Member of the Board Volkswagen Brand for “Procurement”.
Mr. Till von Bothmer, Senior Vice President VW Group Procurement for Powertrain added, “On top of the verticalization, onsemi has furthermore provided a resilient supply concept with regional silicon carbide fabs across Asia, Europe and the U.S. In addition, onsemi will continuously provide the latest SiC generation to ensure competitiveness.
Volkswagen Group will also benefit from onsemi’s planned investment to expand its silicon carbide manufacturing in the Czech Republic. The investment would establish an end-to-end production facility in Europe for the traction inverter power system. The proximity of onsemi’s facility would fortify Volkswagen Group’s supply chain while improving logistics and allowing for faster integration into the manufacturing process.
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In the face of escalating climate crises and a dramatic rise in global energy demands, governments and industries are committing to ambitious climate goals aimed at mitigating environmental impact and securing a sustainable future. Key to these efforts is the transition to electrification to reduce carbon emissions and embrace renewable energy resources.
In a significant step towards accelerating this global transition, onsemi introduced its latest generation silicon carbide technology platform, EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs. The company also disclosed plans to release multiple additional generations through 2030.
“The future of electrification is dependent on advanced power semiconductors. Today’s infrastructure cannot keep up with the world’s demands for more intelligence and electrified mobility without significant innovations in power. This is critical to the ability to achieve global electrification and stop climate change,” said Simon Keeton, group president, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “We are setting the pace for innovation, with plans to significantly increase power density in our silicon carbide technology roadmap through 2030 to be able to meet the growing demands for energy and enable the global transition to electrification.”
The EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs will play a fundamental role in enabling the performance and reliability of next-generation electrical systems at lower cost per kW, thus influencing the adoption and effectiveness of electrification initiatives. With the ability to operate at higher switching frequencies and voltages while minimizing power conversion losses, this platform is essential for a wide range of automotive and industrial applications such as electric vehicle powertrains, DC fast chargers, solar inverters and energy storage solutions.
Additionally, the EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs will enable the transition to more efficient, higher-power data centers to meet the exponentially increasing energy demands that power a sustainable artificial intelligence engine.
Through onsemi’s unique design engineering and manufacturing capabilities, the EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs achieve a significant reduction in both conduction and switching losses on the trusted and field-proven planar architecture. Compared to previous generations, the platform can reduce conduction losses by 30% and turn-off losses by up to 50%.
By extending the life of SiC planar MOSFETs and delivering industry-leading performance with EliteSiC M3e technology, onsemi can ensure the robustness and stability of the platform, making it a preferred choice for critical electrification applications
The EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs also offer the industry’s lowest specific on-resistance (RSP) with short circuit capability which is critical for the traction inverter market that dominates SiC volume. Packaged in onsemi’s state-of-the-art discrete and power modules, the 1200V M3e die delivers substantially more phase current than previous EliteSiC technology, resulting in approximately 20% more output power in the same traction inverter housing. Conversely, a fixed power level can now be designed with 20% less SiC content, saving costs while enabling the design of smaller, lighter and more reliable systems.
Additionally, onsemi provides a broader portfolio of intelligent power technologies including gate drivers, DC-DC converters, e-Fuses and more to pair with the EliteSiC M3e platform. The end-end onsemi combination of optimized, co-engineered power switches, drivers and controllers enable advanced features via integration, lowering overall system cost.
Global energy demands are projected to soar over the next decade, making the need for increased power density in semiconductors paramount. onsemi is leading innovation across its silicon carbide roadmap – from die architectures to novel packaging techniques – that will continue to address the general industry demand for increased power density.
With each new generation of silicon carbide, cell structures will be optimized to efficiently push more current through a smaller area, increasing power density. When coupled with the company’s advanced packaging techniques, onsemi will be able to maximize performance and reduce package size.
By applying the concepts of Moore’s Law to the development of silicon carbide, onsemi can develop multiple generations in parallel and accelerate its roadmap to bring several new EliteSiC products to market at an accelerated pace through 2030.
“We are applying our decades of experience in power semiconductors to push the boundaries of speed and innovation in our engineering and manufacturing capabilities to meet the rising global energy demands,” said Dr. Mrinal Das, senior director of technical marketing, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “There is a huge technical interdependency between the materials, device and package in silicon carbide. Having full ownership over these key aspects allows us to have control over the design and manufacturing process and bring new generations to market much faster.”
The EliteSiC M3e MOSFET in the industry-standard TO-247-4L package is now sampling.
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Electrification, renewables and artificial intelligence are global megatrends converging and driving unprecedented demands for advanced power semiconductors capable of optimizing energy conversion and management. In a strategic move toward addressing these demands, onsemi announced plans to establish a state-of-the-art, vertically integrated silicon carbide (SiC) manufacturing facility in the Czech Republic. The site would produce the company’s intelligent power semiconductors that are essential for improving the energy efficiency of applications in electric vehicles, renewable energy and AI data centers.
“Our brownfield investment would establish a Central European supply chain to better service our customers’ rapidly increasing demand for innovative technologies that improve the energy efficiency in their applications,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and CEO, onsemi. “Through a close collaboration with the Czech government, the expansion would also enhance our production of intelligent power semiconductors that are essential to helping ensure the European Union is able to achieve its ambitions to significantly reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact.”
“onsemi’s decision to expand in Czechia is a clear confirmation of our country’s attractiveness for foreign investment and will bring significant momentum for the development of our economy,” said Mr. Jozef Síkela, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. “This investment not only strengthens our position in the semiconductor field but can also contribute to the development of the automotive industry and help us with its adaptation to the rise of electromobility.”
onsemi’s plan to expand SiC manufacturing with a multi-year brownfield investment of up to $2 billion (44 billion CZK) is part of the company’s previously disclosed long-term capital expenditure target. This investment would build on the company’s current operations in the Czech Republic, which include silicon crystal growth, silicon and silicon carbide wafer manufacturing (polished and EPI) and a silicon wafer fab. Today, the site can produce more than three million wafers annually, including more than one billion power devices. Upon completion, the operation would contribute annually more than $270 million USD (6 billion CZK) to the country’s GDP.
Pending all final regulatory and incentive approvals, including the investment incentive approval by the government of the Czech Republic and its notification to the European Commission, this would be one of the largest private sector investments in the Czech Republic’s history and would further contribute to the prosperity and economic dynamism of the Zlín region. onsemi is one of the first companies to invest in advanced semiconductor manufacturing in the Central European region.
With this investment, the company would contribute to the strategic positioning of the region within the EU’s semiconductor value chain and demonstrate that all EU countries can benefit from the European Chips Act. The announcement also reflects onsemi’s strategic alignment with the overarching goals of the European Chips Act of increasing market share and technological advancement to strengthen the resilience of the EU’s semiconductor supply chains in times of ever-growing demand.
Silicon carbide is a critical material for high-power, high-temperature applications, and is extremely difficult to produce. onsemi is one of the only companies in the world with the ability to manufacture SiC-based semiconductors from crystal growth to advanced packaging solutions. By expanding its production facilities in the Czech Republic, onsemi would be faster to provide supply assurance for customers, strengthening its leadership in intelligent power solutions. This integration would also enable onsemi to leverage its latest advancements in research and development (R&D) to maximize manufacturing and production efficiency.
Original – onsemi
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The latest onsemi 7th generation 1200V QDual3 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) power modules offer increased power density and deliver up to 10% more output power than other available competing products. Based on the latest Field Stop 7 (FS7) IGBT technology, the 800-amp (A) QDual3 module delivers industry-leading efficiency to reduce system costs and simplify designs.
In a 150KW inverter, the QDual3 module will dissipate 200 watts (W) less in losses compared to the closest competition, significantly reducing heatsink size. QDual3 is engineered to work under harsh conditions and is ideal for high-power electronics converters such as central inverters in solar farms, energy storage systems (ESS), commercial agricultural vehicles (CAVs) and industrial motor drives.
Currently, two products are available depending on the applications – NXH800H120L7QDSG and SNXH800H120L7QDSG.
Increasing renewable energy adoption amplifies the need for solutions that can manage peak demand and ensure continuous power supply. Peak shaving, the practice of reducing electricity use during peak hours, is essential for maintaining electric grid stability and reducing costs. Using the QDual3 modules, manufacturers can construct a solar inverter and ESS that output more power in the same system size, enabling more efficient energy management and storage capabilities, and allowing for a smoother integration of solar power into the grid.
The modules also mitigate the intermittency of solar energy by storing excess power in an ESS, ensuring a reliable and consistent energy flow. For large systems, the modules can be paralleled to increase the output power up to a couple of MWs and compared to traditional 600 A module solutions, the 800 A QDual3 significantly reduces the module quantity, greatly simplifying design complexity and cutting system costs.
The QDual3 IGBTs module features an 800 A half-bridge configuration that integrates the latest Gen7 trench Field Stop IGBT and diode technology using onsemi’s advanced packaging techniques to reduce switching and conduction losses.
With FS7 technology, the die size is reduced by 30%, allowing more die per module, increasing the power density to enable the maximum current capacity up to 800 A or higher. With an IGBT Vce(sat) as low as 1.75V (175°C) and low Eoff, the 800 A QDual3 module dissipates 10% lower energy losses than the next-best alternative. The modules also meet the stringent standards required of an automotive application.
“Increased electrification of commercial fleets such as trucks and busses and the need of renewable energy sources demand solutions that can generate, store and distribute power more efficiently. Transferring energy from renewable sources to the grid, storage systems and to downstream loads with the lowest power losses possible is increasingly critical,” said Sravan Vanaparthy, vice president, Industrial Power Division, Power Solutions Group, onsemi. “With its industry-standard pin-out and market-leading efficiencies, QDual3 enables power electronics designers to plug and play these modules for an immediate performance boost in their systems.”
Original – onsemi
