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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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STMicroelectronics unveiled L99H92 automotive gate driver which provides an SPI port for programming and diagnostics, a charge pump, protective features, and two additional current-sense amplifiers for system monitoring.
Containing two high-side and two low-side drivers, the L99H92 can control a single H-bridge powering one bidirectional DC motor or two half bridges for two unidirectional motors. Typical applications for the highly integrated and easily configurable driver include electric sunroof, window lift, powered trunk, sliding doors, and seat-belt pre-tensioners.
The charge pump powers the high-side drivers to maintain correct operation as the vehicle battery voltage fluctuates, enabling the outputs to function with a supply as low as 5.41V. The charge-pump output is also available at an external pin to control a MOSFET for reverse-battery protection.
The gate-driving current is programmed through the SPI port, allowing slew-rate control to minimize electromagnetic emissions and thermal dissipation. Programming the current saves up to four external discrete components per MOSFET, typically needed for slew-rate setting with conventional drivers. The maximum drive current of 170mA gives designers flexibility to use the driver with a wide variety of external MOSFETs, including high-power devices with large gate capacitance.
With many features for system protection and diagnostics, the L99H92 is built for reliability and safety. There is overcurrent protection with a programmable threshold, detected by monitoring the MOSFET drain current. Also, cross-conduction protection with programmable dead time ensures safety and efficiency. Additional protection includes overtemperature early warning and shutdown, overvoltage and undervoltage protection on analog and digital power supply inputs, and open-load and output short-circuit detection in off-state diagnostic mode.
A fail-safe input can turn off all MOSFETs instantaneously and a dedicated diagnostic pin provides immediate fault warning without waiting for periodic SPI transfers.
Additionally, two current-sense amplifiers are integrated for system-status monitoring, helping minimize the bill of materials. Suitable for high-side, low-side, and inline sensing, the amplifiers have independently programmable gain, low offset, and low thermal drift. They can be independently disabled to reduce current consumption when unused.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics released its annual sustainability report, which provides insight into its 2023 performance related to priority environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that support long-term value creation for all its stakeholders and sustainable growth for its business.
“Sustainability is at the heart of our value proposition, driving benefits for our company, customers, and society. We’re proud of our progress on innovation, resilience, employee engagement and the advancement towards our ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2, and partially on scope 3, by 2027,” said Jean-Marc Chery, President and CEO, STMicroelectronics. “Together with our partners and empowered employees, we’re accelerating sustainable transformation in technology and beyond.”
ESG highlights during 2023 include:
- A 45% decrease in GHG emissions for scopes 1 and 2 since 2018 in absolute terms (vs a 40% decrease in 2022).
- An increased sourcing of electricity coming from renewable sources to 71% (from 62% in 2022) and the signing of a significant power purchase agreement (PPA) in Italy to produce 250GWh renewable energy per year (3.75 TWh over 15 years) starting in 2024.
- The reuse, recovery, or recycling of 96% of the Company’s waste (1% higher than in 2022).
- A- scores for CDP water security and climate change.
- 12.2% of net revenues (US$2.1 billion) invested in R&D to support innovation.
- Involved in 195 active R&D partnerships worldwide.
- More than 610 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) events and initiatives (a 35% increase on 2022) reaching over 100,000 students and teachers globally.
- 87% of employees would recommend ST as a great place to work, 4% higher than in 2021 (when we last had a full survey).
- In 2023, the company established a strong focus on setting up voluntary, employee-led Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to promote inclusion in the workplace. WISE (Women Inspiring Supporting and Empowering), the first ERG for women, has grown fast, with some 1,400+ members in 60 locations.
In 2023, ST maintained a strong presence in major sustainability indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability indices, FTSE4Good, EuroNext VIGEO Europe 120, CAC 40 ESG, MIB ESG, ISS ESG Corporate ratings, Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and received an MSCI ESG Rating of AAA.
The 27th annual report contains highlights and details of ST’s sustainability performance in 2023 and presents the Company’s ambitions and longer-term goals in alignment with both the United Nations Global Compact Ten Principles and Sustainable Development Goals and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). It is aligned with Global Reporting Standards (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Boards (SASB), and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). A third party has verified this report.
More information on ST’s sustainability efforts can be found at https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/sustainability.html
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics introduced 100V trench Schottky rectifier diodes that boost efficiency in power converters operated at high switching frequencies.
Raising power-converter operating frequency, encouraged by the minimal switching losses of technologies like wide-bandgap semiconductors, allows designers to set new benchmarks in power density. However, at elevated frequencies, the energy losses in conventional planar diodes, including silicon Schottky devices, used as rectifiers become a significant factor limiting conversion efficiency.
ST’s trench Schottky diodes significantly reduce the rectifier losses, with superior forward-voltage and reverse-recovery characteristics that enable increased power density with high efficiency. The forward voltage is 50-100mV better than in comparable planar diodes, depending on current and temperature conditions. Simply changing to these devices can increase the efficiency by 0.5%.
There are 28 variants in the new family, with eight current ratings from 1A to 15A, multiple surface-mount packages, in industrial and automotive grades. The industrial-grade parts target applications such as miniature switched-mode power supplies and auxiliary power supplies for telecom, server, and smart-metering equipment.
In automotive, typical uses include space-constrained applications such as LED lighting, reverse-polarity protection, and low-voltage DC/DC converters. The parts are AEC-Q101 qualified, manufactured in PPAP-capable facilities, and specified from -40°C to 175°C.
When combined with ST’s flyback and buck-boost converters, such as the VIPer controllers and HVLED001A offline LED driver, the 100V trench Schottky rectifiers fulfil the active-components bill of materials for switched-mode power supplies. All are supported in ST’s eDesign Suite Rectifier Diodes Simulator, which helps to select the rating and footprint, simulate waveforms, and estimate power efficiency.
The diodes are 100% avalanche tested in production to ensure device robustness and system reliability. They are available in DPAK as well as SOD123 Flat, SOD128 Flat, SMB Flat, and PSMC (TO227A) surface-mount packages.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics announced a collaboration with Compuware Technology Inc, (Compuware), a leading provider of high-efficiency power supplies, on a reference design for server power using ST’s industry-leading silicon carbide (SiC), galvanic isolation, and microcontroller technologies. This reference design provides unparalleled power-supply options for digital power converter applications including server, datacenter and telecom power.
As demand for digital services continues to grow, fueled by Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, and the Internet of Things (IoT), keeping power usage under control is an important piece of the sustainability puzzle for data centers. The STDES-3KWTLCP reference design is perfect for a 3kW and higher wattage CRPS (Common Redundancy Power Supply) server power supply. This technical advancement comes with superior efficiency, faster switching, reduced energy losses, and better thermal management capabilities. In addition, this total system solution shortens time-to-market.
Compuware stands as a global power supply leader, holding the world record for the highest number of 80 PLUS Titanium certifications, ensuring unparalleled power efficiency. Engineered for excellence, Compuware power solutions are the ideal choice for HPC, AI, Deep Learning, Cloud, and advanced applications. With high power density, it optimizes space usage without compromising reliability and efficiency, setting a new performance standard in demanding computing environments.
“Combining ST’s latest SiC MOSFET, galvanic isolation, and microcontroller technologies with Compuware’s leading-edge power energy expertise is helping Compuware unleash our design creativity to develop high-density and -efficiency solutions. Now we can achieve 89W/in.3 power density, a small size, and high power output, this reference design is a great choice for power-hungry, high-performance computing applications,” according to Robin Cheng, Vice President at Compuware.
“With a focus on the Industrial market, ST’s Power & Energy Competence Center provides low-power, mid-power, and high-power solutions with the most advanced ST technologies to our customers, and this reference design- STDES-3KWTLCP can help our customers increase energy efficiency and reduce time-to-market using ST’s efficient and reliable power solutions,” said Eric Chou, Head of Power & Energy Competence Center at STMicroelectronics.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics released automotive-grade 600V/650V super-junction MOSFETs in STPOWER MDmesh DM9 AG series which deliver superior efficiency and ruggedness for on-board chargers (OBCs) and DC/DC converter applications in both hard- and soft-switching topologies.
With outstanding RDS(on) per die area and minimal gate charge, the silicon-based devices combine low energy losses with outstanding switching performance, setting a new benchmark figure of merit. Compared to the previous generation, the latest MDmesh DM9 technology ensures a tighter gate-source threshold voltage (VGS(th)) spread that results in sharper switching for lower turn-on and turn-off losses.
In addition, body-diode reverse recovery is improved, leveraging a new optimized process that also increases the MOSFETs’ overall ruggedness. The diode’s low reverse-recovery charge (Qrr) and fast recovery time (trr) make the MDmesh DM9 AG series ideal for phase-shift zero-voltage switching topologies that demand the utmost efficiency.
The family offers a selection of through-hole and surface-mount packages that help designers achieve a compact form factor with high power density and system reliability. The TO-247 LL (long-lead) is a popular through-hole option that eases design-in and leverages proven assembly processes. Among the surface-mount packages, the H2PAK-2 (2 leads) and H2PAK-7(7 leads) are optimized for bottom-side cooling with thermal substrates or PCBs featuring thermal vias or other enhancement. HU3PAK and ACEPACK™ SMIT topside-cooled surface-mount packages are also available.
The first device in the new STPOWER MDmesh DM9 AG series is the STH60N099DM9-2AG, a 27A AEC-Q101 qualified N-channel 600V device in H2PAK-2, with 76mΩ typical RDS(on). ST will expand the family to provide a full range of devices, covering a broad range of current ratings and RDS(on) from 23mΩ to 150mΩ.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics N.V. reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023. STMicroelectronics reported fourth quarter net revenues of $4.28 billion, gross margin of 45.5%, operating margin of 23.9%, and net income of $1.08 billion or $1.14 diluted earnings per share.
Jean-Marc Chery, STMicroelectronics President & CEO, commented:
- “FY23 revenues increased 7.2% to $17.29 billion. Operating margin was 26.7% compared to 27.5% in FY22 and net income increased 6.3% to $4.21 billion. We invested $4.11 billion in net CAPEX while delivering free cash flow of $1.77 billion.”
- “In Q4, ST delivered revenues and gross margin slightly below the mid-point of the guidance, with higher revenues in Personal Electronics offset by a softer growth rate in Automotive.”
- “In Q4, our customer order bookings decreased compared to Q3. We continued to see stable end-demand in Automotive, no significant increase in Personal Electronics, and further deterioration in Industrial.”
- “Our first quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $3.6 billion, decreasing year-overyear by 15.2% and decreasing sequentially by 15.9%; gross margin is expected to be about 42.3%.”
- “For 2024, we plan to invest about $2.5 billion in net CAPEX.”
- “We will drive the Company based on a plan for FY24 revenues in the range of $15.9 billion to $16.9 billion. Within this plan, we expect a gross margin in the low to mid-40’s.”
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics has been awarded “Top Employer” of the year in Italy for the third consecutive time. This award is the official recognition to companies excellent in HR policies and strategies and in their implementation to contribute to the well-being of emplyees, and improve the working environment.
In Italy STMicroelectronics has 13 sites with more than 12,500 employees, more than 3,400 in R&D.
On top of that, STMicroelectronics has been named “Top Employer” in France for the fourth time in a row.
Every year, the Top Employers Institute program certifies companies according to their participation and their results in the “HR Best Practices Survey”. This survey covers 6 major HR areas divided into 20 themes such as talent management strategy, the work environment, talent acquisition, training and skills development, well-being at work, or diversity and inclusion.
This year, the program has certified more than 2,300 companies worldwide present in 121 countries, with more than 12 million employees impacted. STMicroelectronics is one of the 110 companies that have received the certification in France.
Original – STMicroelectronics and STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics announced its new organization, effective February 5th, 2024.
“We are re-organizing our Product Groups to further accelerate our time-to-market and speed of product development innovation and efficiency. This will enable us to increase value extraction from our broad and unique product and technology portfolio. In addition, we are getting even closer to our customers with an application marketing organization by end market which will boost our ability to complement our product offering with complete system solutions” said Jean-Marc Chery, President and CEO of STMicroelectronics. “This is an important step in the development of our established strategy, in line with our value proposition to all stakeholders and with the business and financial ambitions we set back in 2022”.
Moving from three to two Product Groups to further enhance product development innovation and efficiency, and time-to-market
The two new Product Groups will be:
- Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS), led by Marco Cassis, ST President and member of the Executive Committee; and
- Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF), led by Remi El-Ouazzane, ST President and member of the Executive Committee.
The APMS Product Group will include all ST analog products, including Smart Power solutions for automotive; all ST Power & Discrete product lines including Silicon Carbide products; MEMS and Sensors.
APMS will include two Reportable Segments: Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S); Power and discrete products (P&D).The MDRF Product Group will include all ST digital ICs and microcontrollers, including automotive microcontrollers; RF, ADAS, Infotainment ICs. MDRF will include two Reportable Segments: Microcontrollers (MCU); Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF).
Concurrent with this new organization Marco Monti, ST President of the former Automotive and Discrete Product Group, will leave the Company.
To complement the existing Sales & Marketing organization, a new application marketing organization by end market will be implemented across all ST Regions. This will provide ST customers with end-to-end system solutions based on the Company’s product and technology portfolio.
The company is implementing an application marketing organization by end market across all ST Regions, as part of its Sales & Marketing organization led by Jerome Roux, ST President and member of the Executive Committee. The application marketing organization will cover the following four end markets:
- Automotive
- Industrial Power and Energy
- Industrial Automation, IoT and AI
- Personal Electronics, Communication Equipment and Computer Peripherals.
The current regional Sales & Marketing organization remains unchanged.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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STMicroelectronics has signed a long-term silicon carbide (SiC) supply agreement with Li Auto, a leader in China’s new energy vehicle market that designs, develops, manufactures, and sells smart premium electric vehicles. Under this agreement, STMicroelectronics will provide Li Auto with SiC MOSFET devices to support Li Auto’s strategy around high-voltage battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in various market segments.
As the automotive industry transforms towards electrification and decarbonization, high-voltage BEVs have become a popular choice for car makers. These vehicles offer outstanding energy efficiency and extended mileage. Li Auto, known for its extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), is entering the BEV market with its first-ever high-tech flagship family MPV BEV model premiered in Q4 2023. With plans to introduce more high-voltage BEV models soon, Li Auto will require high volumes of SiC MOSFETs that it will integrate into its traction inverters to ensure superior electric-vehicle performance.
ST’s SiC devices increase performance and efficiency through higher switching frequencies, breakdown voltages, and thermal resistance. These are all particularly critical characteristics at the higher operating voltages required for battery electric vehicles. Li Auto is adopting ST’s advanced third-generation 1200V SiC MOSFET in the traction inverter of its upcoming 800V BEV platform, to ensure industry-leading process stability and performance, efficiency, and reliability.
“Li Auto is committed to providing families with premium EVs exceeding their expectation. This agreement with ST stands as a testament to Li Auto’s unwavering dedication in BEV product development. Collaborating with the renowned global leader in SiC technologies, we anticipate a forthcoming relationship filled with innovation and success,” said Qingpeng MENG, Vice President of Supply Chain, Li Auto.
Holding more than 50% market share in SiC MOSFETs worldwide, ST’s SiC technology has earned high praise from top OEMs for its electric-vehicle performance. It is widely used in onboard chargers and power modules.
“As a world leader in power devices and wide bandgap semiconductor technologies, ST has established long-term supply agreements with major car makers and Tier 1 suppliers. The SiC supply agreement with Li Auto marks a significant step building upon our existing long-term relationship in other automotive applications,” said Henry CAO, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, China Region, STMicroelectronics. “ST is committed to supporting Li Auto’s ambition to become a top premium electric vehicle brand in China, offering their customers superior vehicle performance and range with our innovative SiC technologies.”
Original – STMicroelectronics
