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Texas Instruments announced the expansion of its low-power gallium nitride (GaN) portfolio, designed to help improve power density, maximize system efficiency, and shrink the size of AC/DC consumer power electronics and industrial systems. TI’s overall portfolio of GaN field-effect transistors (FETs) with integrated gate drivers addresses common thermal design challenges, keeping adapters cooler while pushing more power in a smaller footprint.
“Today’s consumers want smaller, lighter and more portable power adapters that also provide fast, energy-efficient charging,” said Kannan Soundarapandian, general manager of High Voltage Power at TI.
“With the expansion of our portfolio, designers can bring the power-density benefits of low-power GaN technology to more applications that consumers use every day, such as mobile phone and laptop adapters, TV power-supply units, and USB wall outlets. Additionally, TI’s portfolio also addresses the growing demand for high efficiency and compact designs in industrial systems such as power tools and server auxiliary power supplies.”
The new portfolio of GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers, which includes the LMG3622, LMG3624 and LMG3626, offers the industry’s most accurate integrated current sensing. This functionality helps designers achieve maximum efficiency by eliminating the need for an external shunt resistor and reducing associated power losses by as much as 94% when compared to traditional current-sensing circuits used with discrete GaN and silicon FETs.
TI’s GaN FETs with integrated gate drivers enable faster switching speeds, which helps keep adapters from overheating. Designers can reach up to 94% system efficiency for <75-W AC/DC applications or above 95% system efficiency for >75-W AC/DC applications. The new devices help designers reduce the solution size of a typical 67-W power adapter by as much as 50% compared to silicon-based solutions.
The portfolio is also optimized for the most common topologies in AC/DC power conversion, such as quasi-resonant flyback, asymmetrical half bridge flyback, inductor-inductor-converter, totem-pole power factor correction and active clamp flyback.
To learn more about the benefits of TI GaN for the most common AC/DC topologies, read the technical article, “The benefits of low-power GaN in common AC/DC power topologies.”
TI has a long history of globally owned, regionally diverse internal manufacturing operations, including wafer fabs, assembly and test factories, and bump and probe facilities across 15 worldwide sites. TI has been investing in manufacturing GaN technology for more than 10 years.
With plans to manufacture more than 90% of its products internally by 2030, TI has the ability to provide customers with dependable capacity for decades to come.
Original – Texas Instruments
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Nexperia announced its first silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs with the release of two 1200 V discrete devices in 3-pin TO-247 packaging with RDS(on) values of 40 mΩ and 80 mΩ. NSF040120L3A0 and NSF080120L3A0 are the first in a series of planned releases which will see Nexperia’s SiC MOSFET portfolio quickly expand to include devices with a variety of RDS(on) values in a choice of through-hole and surface mounted packages.
This release addresses the market demand for the increased availability of high performance SiC MOSFETs in industrial applications including electric vehicle (EV) charging piles, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and inverters for solar and energy storage systems (ESS).
“With these inaugural products, Nexperia and Mitsubishi Electric wanted to bring true innovation to a market that has been crying out for more wide-bandgap device suppliers”, according to Katrin Feurle, Senior Director & Head of Product Group SiC at Nexperia. “Nexperia can now offer SiC MOSFET devices which offer best-in-class performance across several parameters, including high RDS(on) temperature stability, low body diode voltage drop, tight threshold voltage specification as well as a very well-balanced gate charge ratio making the device safe against parasitic turn on. This is the opening chapter in our commitment to producing the highest quality SiC MOSFETs in our partnership with Mitsubishi Electric. Together we will undoubtedly push the boundaries of SiC device performance over the coming years”.
“Together with Nexperia, we’re thrilled to introduce these new SiC MOSFETs as the first product of our partnership”, says Toru Iwagami, Senior General Manger, Power Device Works, Semiconductor & Device Group in Mitsubishi Electric. “Mitsubishi Electric has accumulated superior expertise of SiC power semiconductors, and our devices deliver a unique balance of characteristics.”RDS(on) is a critical performance parameter for SiC MOSFETs as it impacts conduction power losses. Nexperia identified this as a limiting factor in the performance of many currently available SiC devices and used its innovative process technology to ensure its new SiC MOSFETs offer industry-leading temperature stability, with the nominal value of RDS(on) increasing by only 38% over an operating temperature range from 25°C to 175°C. Unlike other many currently available SiC devices in the market.
Nexperia’s SiC MOSFETs also exhibit the very low total gate charge (QG), which brings the advantage of lower gate drive losses. Furthermore, Nexperia balanced gate charge to have an exceptionally low ratio of QGD to QGS, a characteristic which increases device immunity against parasitic turn-on.
Together with the positive temperature coefficient of SiC MOSFETs, Nexperia’s SiC MOSFETs offers also ultra-low spread in device-to device threshold voltage, VGS(th), which allows very well-balanced current-carrying performance under static and dynamic conditions when devices are operated in parallel. Furthermore, low body diode forward voltage (VSD) is a parameter which increases device robustness and efficiency, while also relaxing the dead-time requirement for asynchronous rectification and free wheel operation.
Nexperia is also planning the future release of automotive grade MOSFETs. The NSF040120L3A0 and NSF080120L3A0 are available in production quantities now. Please contact Nexperia sales representatives for samples of the full SiC MOSFET offering.
Original – Nexperia
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GaN Systems™, an Infineon Technologies Company, announced the winners for the 9th “GaN Systems Cup” Power Electronics Application Design Competition at the 2023 China Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Congress and the 26th China Power Supply Society Annual Conference & Exhibition (CPEEC & CPSSC 2023), taking place on November 10-13, 2023, in Guangzhou, China. The Xi’an Jiaotong University team’s three-phase inverter prototype design was recognized as the Grand Prize for achieving outstanding efficiency and power density with GaN Systems’ high-performance power transistors.
Since 2015, the Power Electronics Application Design Competition has encouraged over a thousand college students to sharpen their knowledge with practical design experience and explore possibilities in power electronics.
Participation was again unprecedented this year, with 68 teams from 48 top universities submitting project proposals. Out of the 24 teams that entered finals, 10 eventually received recognition. The Xi’an Jiaotong University team earned the Grand Prizes for their outstanding high-efficiency, high-power density three-phase inverter design. With an output power of 500W, an input voltage of 350VDC, and an output voltage of 220VAC with frequency increased from 50Hz to 400Hz and eventually 2000Hz, the team’s design delivered an impressive 15W/in3 power density and average 98% efficiency.
“The power industry is constantly looking for novel approaches to create more powerful, smaller, and faster components that increase overall system power density and efficiency,” said Yunsheng Qu, Senior Manager of Infineon’s Power and Sensor Systems Division, at the award ceremony. “GaN adoption is now at the tipping point in many applications, and developing a pipeline of skilled, talented engineers has become ever-crucial to support such massive market growth potential. I am pleased to see many of the winning entries not only meet the design requirements but go well beyond them.”
Co-located with the GaN Systems Cup, CPEEC & CPSSC 2023 drew a record-breaking 2,600 visitors and nearly 100 exhibitors, making it China’s largest academic event in power electronics. Infineon’s GaN Systems business line showcased an array of groundbreaking power system reference designs for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. The impressively compact and economical 11kW 800V GaN-based onboard charger reference design was the main attraction in the booth. Visitors also showed a high level of interest in the implementation benefits enabled by the new Gen4 platform and responded positively to the closing of the Infineon acquisition.
Original – GaN Systems
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AIXTRON SE enables the semiconductor foundry BelGaN to expand its business into the growing GaN marketand to accelerate GaN technology innovation. For this important strategic step, BelGaN relies on AIXTRON’s new G10-GaN, which offers best-in-class performance, an all-new compact design, and overall lowest cost per wafer.
Starting with an 8x150mm configuration, the system will be delivered to the BelGaN production site in Oudenaarde (Belgium) before the end of 2023 and will in the future migrate to 5x200mm.
BelGaN, a leading GaN (Gallium Nitride) automotive-qualified semiconductor open foundry in Europe, recently announced the production start of its first generation 650V eGaN technology. The Gen1 platform is designed for the requirements of energy-efficient applications for sustainability and carbon neutrality.
The G10-GaN will be used to further extend the range of power chips with voltage ratings from 40V to 1200V, using GaN-on-Si, GaN on SOI, and novel GaN-on-engineered substrates. It will be applied both on lateral as well as vertical power-GaN products, with a focus on high performance, automotive quality and reliability, high yield, and low costs.
“GaN-epitaxy using MOCVD is a most critical process in any power-GaN technology, both to innovate device architectures, boost performance, yield, and quality, and to cut down the cost of GaN products. This drives a paradigm shift in power electronics, opening up fast-growing markets in e-mobility, datacom, energy conversion, etc., on a road to an electrified, carbon-neutral society.
We have been impressed by the high levels of productivity, uniformity, and low cost of ownership of AIXTRON’s new G10 platform. We highly value AIXTRON’s technological advance, leadership, and continuous innovation. The proximity of AIXTRON, in the midst of the GaN ValleyTM ecosystem, and the collaboration with its team is essential for us to rapidly achieve our innovation and production objectives,” says Dr Marnix Tack, CTO and Vice President Business Development of BelGaN.
“We are very proud that BelGaN chose AIXTRON and our latest innovative powerhouse, the G10-GaN, for the important strategic milestone to add GaN epitaxy to its existing GaN processing line in Oudenaarde (Belgium). Currently, GaN power devices are rapidly adopted in a wide range of applications, and many customers are adding GaN capabilities to their silicon lines. We are excited that technology made by AIXTRON is facilitating this important transition,” says Dr. Felix Grawert, CEO and President of AIXTRON SE.
The all-new G10-GaN cluster solution builds on the fundamentals of AIXTRON’s current tool of record, the G5+ C, while extending each single performance metric:the new platform delivers twice the productivity per cleanroom area while enabling a new level of material uniformities, unlocking new levers of competitiveness for AIXTRON’s customers.
They benefit from more than 25% lowest cost of ownership than with any other equipment on the market today. The G10-GaN also guarantees the highest throughput per m2/cleanroom, and with its full automation end-to-end, it is the only MOCVD system fully designed for silicon fabs.
Original – AIXTRON
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onsemi opened an application test lab in Piestany, Slovakia, focused on the advancement of system solutions for battery/plug-in hybrid/electric vehicles (xEVs) and energy infrastructure (EI) power conversion systems. The state-of-the-art systems applications lab provides specialized equipment to develop and test next-generation silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor solutions in collaboration with automotive OEMs, Tier 1s and EI providers.
Modern semiconductor devices are essential for highly efficient power conversion in xEV powertrains and charging, as well as applications in renewable energy. The new lab will play a central role in ensuring that the development of future power products results in highly differentiated, value-add solutions tailored to customers’ specific requirements.
The new facility consists of two high-voltage power labs that focus on systems and device level development as well as evaluation of SiC/Si traction inverters and ACDC/DCDC power converters. Laser welding facilities, mechanical clean rooms and workshops further enable fast prototyping and testing of next-generation system solutions.
Evaluation capabilities for the next-generation system solutions include:
- Continuous 24/7 testing
- Internally developed and patented software and hardware solutions to support high-voltage power cycling via space vector modulation (SVM) and sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM)
- High-accuracy logging devices for assessing SiC and Si health and reliability
- Simulation of the harsh conditions faced by inverters during operation, testing liquid-cooled devices at temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees C and up to 220 degrees C
- Wider range of industry-recognized software allows for the programing of FPGAs and ARM microcontrollers on site, as well as qualification testing, data analysis and 3D modeling
Original – onsemi
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Infineon Technologies AG announced the expansion of its CoolSiC 1200 V and 2000 V MOSFET module families with a new industry-standard package. The proven 62mm device is designed in half-bridge topology and is based on the recently introduced and advanced M1H silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET technology.
The package enables the use of SiC for mid-power applications from 250 kW – where silicon reaches the limits of power density with IGBT technology. Compared to a 62mm IGBT module, the list of applications now additionally includes solar, server, energy storage, EV charger, traction, commercial induction cooking and power conversion systems.
The M1H technology enables a significantly wider gate voltage window, ensuring high robustness to driver and layout-induced voltage spikes at the gate without any restrictions even at high switching frequencies. In addition to that, very low switching and transmission losses minimize cooling requirements.
Combined with a high reverse voltage, these devices meet another requirement of modern system design. By using Infineon’s CoolSiC chip technology, converter designs can be made more efficient, the nominal power per inverter can be increased and system costs can be reduced.
With baseplate and screw connections, the package features a very rugged mechanical design optimized for highest system availability, minimum service costs and downtime losses. Outstanding reliability is achieved through high thermal cycling capability and a continuous operating temperature (T vjop) of 150°C. The symmetrical internal package design provides identical switching conditions for the upper and lower switches. Optionally, the thermal performance of the module can be further enhanced with pre-applied thermal interface material (TIM).
The CoolSiC 62mm package MOSFETs are available in 1200 V variants of 5 mΩ/180 A, 2 mΩ/420 A and 1 mΩ/560 A. The 2000 V portfolio will include the 4 mΩ/300 A and 3 mΩ/400 A variants. The portfolio will be completed in Q1 2024 with the 1200 V/3 mΩ and 2000 V/5 mΩ variants.
An evaluation board is available for rapid characterization of the modules (double pulse/continuous operation). For ease of use, it provides flexible adjustment of the gate voltage and gate resistors. At the same time, it can be used as a reference design for driver boards for volume production.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Navitas Semiconductor announced its participation in the Power Semiconductor User Forum, organized by WEKA Fachmedien on November 22nd -23rd, 2023. The event offers valuable insights into power electronics for developers and technical buyers.
Alfred Hesener, Senior Director of Industrial and Consumer Applications will explore “Reliability and Cost-of-Ownership Optimization in Industrial Power Supplies,” on November 23rd at 1:45 p.m. CET. Mr. Hesener will highlight next-generation solutions that achieve high power densities, cool operation, robust performance using Navitas’ GaNSense single and Half-Bridge power ICs.
Navitas’ GaNFast power ICs integrate GaN power and drive with control, sensing, and protection to enable faster charging, higher power density, greater energy savings and system cost reduction. In addition, each GaN power IC saves over 4 kg CO2 due to higher efficiency and dematerialization. New ‘Gen-3 Fast’ GeneSiC MOSFETs have up to 50% improved performance vs. other SiC devices, and save over 40 kg CO2 per unit vs. legacy silicon IGBTs.
“For industrial power designers, the WEKA forum highlights leading-edge, reliable technology for drives, pumps, chargers and power conversion, using GaN and SiC,” said Mr. Hesener. “Features like loss-less current sensing, programmable dV/dt, 2 kV ESD protection and autonomous sensing and protection are key enablers, and reduce time to market.”
WEKA Fachmedien’s Power Semiconductor User Forum 2023 will be held from November 22nd-23rd at the Novotel Messe Munich, Willy-Brandt-Platz 1, 81829 München, Germany.
Original – Navitas Semiconductor
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SemiQ announced that it has expanded its portfolio of QSiC™ Silicon Carbide modules with the launch of a family of 1200V MOSFETs that pairs with or without 1200V SiC Schottky Diodes in a SOT-227 package.
Crafted from high-performance ceramics and rigorously engineered to function with unwavering reliability in challenging conditions, the newly introduced SemiQ SiC modules achieve remarkably high performance. This enhanced performance empowers higher power densities and more streamlined design configurations.
The QSiC™ modules feature high breakdown voltage (> 1400 V), high-temperature operation (Tj = 175 °C), and low Rds(On) shift over the full operating temperature range while providing industry-leading gate oxide stability and gate oxide lifetime, avalanche (UIS) ruggedness, and extended short-circuit withstand times.
Target markets for the new QSiC™ modules with our existing SOT-227 SiC SBD modules include EV charging, on-board chargers (OBCs), DC-DC converters, E-compressors, fuel cell converters, medical power supplies, energy storage systems, solar and wind energy systems, data center power supplies, UPS/PFC circuits, and other automotive and industrial power applications.
All of the new QSiC™ modules are tested at wafer-level gate burn-in to provide high-quality gate oxide with stable gate threshold voltage. Besides the burn-in test, which helps to stabilize the extrinsic failure rate, stress tests such as gate stress, high-temperature reverse bias (HTRB) drain stress, and high humidity, high voltage, high temperature (H3TRB) to ensure requisite industrial grade quality levels.
Dr. Timothy Han, President at SemiQ, said, “We are delighted with the customer input and needs for our new family of QSiC™ high-power modules and thank our SemiQ team who have worked tirelessly to build and qualify our latest QSiC™ modules.”
SemiQ’s new 1200V SOT-227 modules are available in 20mΩ, 40mΩ, 80mΩ SiC MOSFET categories. A table with part numbers is shown below.
Part Numbers Circuit Configuration Ratings, Packages Rds(on), mΩ GCMX020B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w/o SBD 1200V/113A, SOT-227 20 GCMS020B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w SBD 1200V/113A, SOT-227 20 GCMX040B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w/o SBD 1200V/57A, SOT-227 40 GCMS040B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w SBD 1200V/57A, SOT-227 40 GCMX080B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w/o SBD 1200V/30A, SOT-227 80 GCMS080B120S1-E1 Single MOSFET w SBD 1200V/30A, SOT-227 80 Original – SemiQ
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Soitec announced its revenue for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 and its results for the first half of fiscal year 2024 (ended on September 30th, 2023). The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors during its meeting today.
- Q2’24 revenue reached €245m, down 7% at constant exchange rates and perimeter compared to Q2’23
- H1’24 revenue at €401m, down 15% both at constant exchange rates and perimeter and on a reported basis compared with H1’23 – in line with guidance
- H1’24 EBITDA margin stood at the robust level of 33% of revenue while the Company maintained significant investment in R&D
- Anticipated return to a slight year-on-year organic growth in H2’24, leading to a moderate downward revision of FY24 outlook: mid-single digit decline in FY’24 revenue expected at constant exchange rate and EBITDA1 margin2 anticipated around 35%
Pierre Barnabé, Soitec’s CEO, commented: “With a sequential growth of over 50% compared to the first quarter, our second-quarter revenue rebounded significantly, as we had anticipated. This was particularly the case in Mobile Communications as the inventory correction across the smartphone value chain eased. We continue to leverage strong demand in Automotive to deploy our SmartSiC™roadmap and we continue to progress actively with several customers.
Overall, our first half revenue is in line with our expectations. We have maintained strong profitability and a solid financial position, while continuing to invest in R&D and industrial capacity, as well as building inventories to prepare for H2’24.
Looking ahead, we maintain our growth perspectives for the second part of the fiscal year. We note however that the absorption of RF-SOI inventories at our customers level will last longer than anticipated. At the same time, we continue to expect sustained demand in Automotive & Industrial as well as in Smart Devices. Consequently, we now anticipate a full-fiscal-year revenue decline of around mid-single digit percentage, and an EBITDA margin of around 35%. After this transition year, we will resume our growth trajectory” added Pierre Barnabé.
FY’24 outlook
Soitec confirms growth recovery in the second half of FY’24. Against the backdrop of a weaker-than-expected smartphone market, the extent of the inventory correction at our customers level is greater than anticipated. We confirm strong traction for our Automotive & Industrial and Smart Devices divisions. We now anticipate our FY’24 revenue to slightly decline, by around a mid-single digit percentage, compared to FY’23, at constant exchange rates and perimeter.
As a result, FY’24 EBITDA margin is now expected to be around 35% of revenue. The Group will continue to implement cost control measures, while further investing significantly in R&D.
FY’24 Capital expenditure is expected to be around 290 million Euros in order to support growth beyond FY’24. Soitec’s growth outlook remain very strong: while the SOI content within end devices continues to increase, the ongoing penetration of the Group’s products across its three end markets and the successful deployment of its expansion into Compound Semiconductors with POI and SmartSiC™ becoming new significant growth drivers in the future.
Original – Soitec
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Transphorm, Inc. and Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. announced a collaboration including Transphorm’s SuperGaN® FETs and Allegro’s AHV85110 Isolated Gate Driver to enable the expansion of GaN power system design for high power applications.
Transphorm’s SuperGaN FETs are designed to work in various topologies and are available in several different packages to support a wide power range while also satisfying diverse end application requirements. SuperGaN FETs are used in multiple commercial products, including higher power systems where they are proven to notably increase reliability, power density, and efficiency.
Allegro’s self-powered, single-channel isolated gate driver IC is optimized for driving GaN FETs in multiple applications and circuits. The AHV85110 is proven to enhance driver efficiency by as much as 50% compared to competitive gate drivers. This unique solution greatly simplifies the system design, reduces noise by 10x and common mode capacitance by 15 times compared to other solutions in the market.
“Allegro’s AHV85110 High Voltage Gate Driver provides a highly compact and efficient power stage implementation that helps to achieve an approximate 30 percent footprint reduction with the least number of external components and bias supply requirements around Transphorm’s power devices,” said Tushar Dhayagude, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and FAE, Transphorm.
“Combined with SuperGaN’s highest reliability and superior dynamic switching performance over competing technologies, the end result is a more efficient, more robust solution with increased power density in critical applications such as server, data centers, renewables and electric vehicles.”
“We are excited about working with Transphorm on a collaboration that further supports Allegro’s focus towards helping customers optimize GaN-based system development and design,” said Vijay Mangtani, Vice President and General Manager of High Voltage Power, Allegro MicroSystems. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to combine our high voltage isolated gate driver AHV85110 with Transphorm’s SuperGaN FET to enable higher power density, higher efficiency, and higher power output in smaller form factors and provide value to both our and Transphorm’s customers.”
Those interested in testing the collaborative solution can do so via Allegro’s APEK85110KNH-06-T evaluation board. The board incorporates both the AHV85110 designed to work in various applications along with Transphorm’s recently announced TOLL packageavailable in three devices with on-resistances of 35, 50, and 72 milliohms.
Original – Transphorm
