Tag Archive for: GaN

Transphorm raising another 70$M for GaN semiconductor

Transphorm Inc, a GaN devices manufacturer, today announced a $70 million investment round led by  KKR. KKR’s investment follows initial rounds of funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Foundation Capital, Google Ventures, Soros Quantum Strategic Partners, INCJ, Fujitsu, Transphorm will use this funding to support its growth, product innovation and expansion.

“Gallium Nitride is the most important new semiconductor in the world today”

To know more about Gallium-nitride manufacturers and Transphorm:

Check our presentation and map of GaN manufacturers

Gallium nitride devices players map

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GaN power device players in a nutshell: the interactive map

Gallium Nitride Power electronics players on a map, with insight & analysis

delivered with a smile by Point The Power!

See the Market Report

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EPC corp. is “relaxing” Gallium Nitride pitch

EPC corp. announce the extension of their power transistor portfolio with a high performance, wider pitch chip-scale package for ease of high volume manufacturing and enhanced compatibility with mature manufacturing processes and assembly lines.

 

The first in a new family of “Relaxed Pitch” devices,  the  EPC2029 80 V, 31 A eGaN  FET features a 1 mm bal l pitch.  The wider pitch allows for placement of additional and larger vias under the device to enable high current carrying capability despite the extremely small 4.6 mm x 2.6 mm footprint.

Compared to state-of-the art silicon power MOFSETs with similar on-resistance, the EPC2029 is smaller and has many times superior switching performance.  TheEPC2029 is ideal for applications such as high frequency DC-DC converters, synchronous rectification in DC/DC and AC/DC converters, motor drives, and class-D audio.

To simplify the evaluation process of this latest high performance eGaN FET, the EPC9046 development board, featuring two EPC2029 eGaN FETs in a half-bridge topology with onboard gate drive is available.  TheEPC9046 allows for easy “in circuit” performance evaluation of the EPC2029 by including all critical components and is laid out for optimal switching performance with additional area to add buck output filter components.

The new 80 V EPC2029 and corresponding development board EPC9046 are both available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key.

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ON Semiconductor and Transphorm partner to deliver GaN-Based power modules

ON Semiconductor Corp., and Transphorm have announced a newly formed partnership to co-develop and co-market gallium nitride (GaN) based products and power system solutions for a variety of high voltage applications in the industrial, computing, telecom and networking sectors.

This strategic partnership leverages strengths inherent in both companies:

  • Transphorm is recognized as the first company to bring to market production qualified 600 volt (V) GaN on silicon transistors and has unrivalled experience working with this advanced technology.
  • ON Semiconductor is a leading supplier of energy efficient power solutions, provides significant expertise in system design, and offers an impressive portfolio that ranges from power discretes, high performance AC/DC controllers and integrated switchers to full custom ASIC power management solutions.

For power applications, GaN has been shown to deliver significant performance advantages compared to silicon based devices. The new generations of packaged products currently being co-developed by ON Semiconductor and Transphorm will provide reliable, qualified solutions that will enable designers to achieve previously unobtainable levels of efficiency and power density.

“ON Semiconductor clearly recognizes the inherent benefits that GaN technology can bring to the power electronics market and we are excited about partnering with a recognized and proven leader in this area in addition to pursuing our own GaN development work,”

said Bill Hall, executive vice president and general manager of ON Semiconductor’s Standard Products Group. “This important new collaboration strategically combines our impressive power system solution capabilities with Transphorm’s GaN expertise. Together we can bolster customer confidence in this new technology and accelerate broad market adoption.”

“Partnering with a leading power semiconductor company like ON Semiconductor reaffirms Transphorm’s GaN leadership and will provide our customers a broader set of GaN based products and solutions,” said Fumihide Esaka, CEO of Transphorm.

“This relationship is not only significant for faster penetration of GaN in the marketplace but also meaningful for the entire power conversion industry.”

The first co-developed solutions based on 600 V GaN transistors are expected to be available for sampling before the end of 2014. These solutions will address high power density applications in the 200 W to 1000 W power range for compact power supplies and adapters addressing the telecom and server markets. Under the terms of the partnership, the co-developed packaged transistor products will include low voltage MOSFET silicon from ON Semiconductor for the cascoded switch, and proven GaN high voltage High-Electron-Mobility Transistors (HEMT) from Transphorm. Co-packaging, assembly and test of the devices will be done at ON Semiconductor production facilities.

Power system reference designs will be provided to customers, enabling implementation of new solutions with GaN-based transistors and the high performance AC/DC controllers required to take full advantage of the technical benefits of GaN devices.

Source

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Infineon is back in the GaN race, thanks to Panasonic

Infineon Technologies and Panasonic Corporation have announced an agreement under which both companies will jointly develop Gallium nitride (GaN) devices based on Panasonic’s normally-off (enhancement mode) GaN on silicon transistor structure integrated into Infineon’s surface-mounted device (SMD) packages. In this context Panasonic has provided Infineon with a license of its normally-off GaN transistor structure.

This agreement will enable each company to manufacture GaN devices. Customers will have the added advantage of having two possible sources for compatible packaged GaN power switches

A setup not available for any other GaN on silicon device so far. Both parties have agreed not to disclose any further details of the contract. For the first time the companies will showcase samples of a 600V 70mΩ device in a DSO  (Dual Small Outline) package at the trade show Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition(APEC), which will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 15-19, 2015.

GaN on silicon has been receiving significant attention as one of the next compound semiconductor technologies that will on the one hand enable high power density and therefore a smaller footprint (e.g., for power supplies and adapters), and on the other hand serve as a major key for energy efficiency improvement. In general, power devices based on GaN on silicon technology can be used in a wide range of fields, from high voltage industrial applications such as power supplies in server farms (a potential application of the showcased 600V GaN device) to low voltage applications such as DC-DC conversion (e.g., in high-end consumer goods).

GaN power device application in laptop chargers has been highlighted in our blog article: Is GaN’s power devices future in Laptop chargers.

 

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Wide Bandgap Semiconductors: Essential to Our Technology Future

Hidden inside nearly every modern electronic is a technology — called power electronics — that is quietly making our world run. Yet, as things like our phones, appliances and cars advance, current power electronics will no longer be able to meet our needs, making it essential that we invest in the future of this technology.

Today, President Obama will announce that North Carolina State University will lead the Energy Department’s new manufacturing innovation institute for the next generation of power electronics. The institute will work to drive down the costs of and build America’s manufacturing leadership in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor-based power electronics — leading to more affordable products for businesses and consumers, billions of dollars in energy savings and high-quality U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Integral to consumer electronics and many clean energy technologies, power electronics can be found in everything from electric vehicles and industrial motors, to laptop power adaptors and inverters that connect solar panels and wind turbines to the electric grid. For nearly 50 years, silicon chips have been the basis of power electronics. However, as clean energy technologies and the electronics industry has advanced, silicon chips are reaching their limits in power conversion — resulting in wasted heat and higher energy consumption.

Wide band gap infrographics

Power electronics that use WBG semiconductors have the potential to change all this. WBG semiconductors operate at high temperatures, frequencies and voltages — all helping to eliminate up to 90 percent of the power losses in electricity conversion compared to current technology. This in turn means that power electronics can be smaller because they need fewer semiconductor chips, and the technologies that rely on power electronics — like electric vehicle chargers, consumer appliances and LEDs — will perform better, be more efficient and cost less.

One of three new institutes in the President’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation, the Energy Department’s institute will develop the infrastructure needed to make WBG semiconductor-based power electronics cost competitive with silicon chips in the next five years. Working with more than 25 partners across industry, academia, and state and federal organizations, the institute will provide shared research and development, manufacturing equipment, and product testing to create new semiconductor technology that is up to 10 times more powerful that current chips on the market. Through higher education programs and internships, the institute will ensure that the U.S. has the workforce necessary to be the leader in the next generation of power electronics manufacturing.

Watch our latest video on how wide bandgap semiconductors could impact clean energy technology and our daily lives.

Source: http://energy.gov/eere/articles/infographic-wide-bandgap-semiconductors

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EPC Corp. release new high performance GaN power transistors

EPC corp. Logo

Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) announces the introduction of six new-generation power transistor products and corresponding development boards. Ranging from 30 V to 200 V, these products provide significant reduction in RDS(on) greatly increasing their output current capability in applications such as high power density DC-DC converters, Point-of-Load (POL) converters, synchronous rectification in DC/DC and AC/DC converters, motor drives, LED lighting, and industrial automation.

The new family of eGaN FETs cuts on-resistance, (RDS(on)), in half, enabling high current, high power density applications.Improved Figure of Merit (FOM)
The latest generation of eGaN FETs cuts the hard-switching FOM in half compared with the previous generation for improved switching performance in high frequency power conversion applications.

Extended Voltage Range:
Extending the performance benefits of GaN to 30 V enables higher power DC-DC converters, Point-of-Load (POL) converters, synchronous rectifiers for isolated power supplies, PCs, and servers.Better Thermal Performance
Increased temperature capabilities and improved die layout improve the thermal and electrical performance of the Gen 4 family of devices allowing for higher power operation under all conditions.

Demonstrated Power Conversion Efficiency Improvements:

To demonstrate the improved performance of these new eGaN FETs, two buck converters were built. The EPC9018combines the 30 V EPC2023 FET as the synchronous rectifier with the 40 V EPC2015 as the control switch of a 12 V – 1.2 V DC-DC point of load (POL) converter.

The 12 V to 1.2 V, 40 A POL converter operating at switching frequency of 1 MHz achieved efficiencies above 91.5% and demonstrated the superior in-circuit performance of the latest generation of eGaN power devices compared to the state-of-the-art Si MOSFET modules.

The EPC9019, a 48 V – 12 V converter, uses the 80 V, EPC2021 as the synchronous rectifier switch with the 100 VEPC2001 as the control switch. The results of this 48 V to 12 V, 30 A non-isolated DC-DC intermediate bus converter operating at a switching frequency of 300 kHz achieved efficiencies above 98%, again significantly outperforming a comparable converter using state-of-the-art silicon power MOSFETs.

Price and Availability:

Pricing for the EPC2019 – 24 power transistors at 1K units starts at $3.14 each and are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key at http://digikey.com/Suppliers/us/Efficient-Power-Conversion.page?lang=en

Development Boards

Pricing for corresponding development boards start at $104.40 each and are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key at http://digikey.com/Suppliers/us/Efficient-Power-Conversion.page?lang=en

Additional Information

Design Information and Support for eGaN FETs:

Download EPC eGaN FET datasheets at http://epc-co.com/epc/Products.aspxDownload development board Quick Start Guides: http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/DemoBoards.aspxApplication Note: Fourth Generation eGaN FETs Widen the Performance Gap with the Aging MOSFET athttp://bit.ly/EPCAN017Watch short video presentation of Fourth Generation products: http://epc-co.com/epc/DesignSupport/TrainingVideos/Generation4eGaNFETs.aspx

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Enkris Semiconductor shows 1600V breakdown GaN HEMT on 200mm Si wafer

Chinese semiconductor specialist Enkris Semiconductor, Inc. has successfully demonstrated the manufacture of high voltage Gallium Nitride HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) structures on 200mm Silicon (GaN-on-Si) by using an AIXTRON CRIUS® II Close Coupled Showerhead® Reactor.
GaN-on-Si power devices have attracted much attention from both academics and industry recently because of their potential applications in power electronics. Due to the defective nature of heteroepitaxial GaN layers grown on silicon, GaN-on-Si power devices have suffered from high buffer leakage. Most recently, Enkris Semiconductor has produced high voltage GaN HEMT materials on 200mm silicon with excellent uniformity and low buffer leakage combined with excellent thickness uniformity of <0.5% without edge exclusion. Under special conditions the uniformity value can be improved even further.

Enkris-wafer-image

Figure 1 Thickness mapping of 200mm GaN-on-Si wafers

“It has been well accepted that GaN on large size silicon substrates is the most cost-effective way to achieve high volume production of GaN power devices. However, a large wafer bow combined with a high buffer leakage has hindered the further development of the GaN-on-Si technology so far. Our process on 200mm silicon substrates shows that high breakdown voltage (>1600V) GaN power devices with low leakage currently can be achieved with relatively thin buffer layers of 4 µm. They simplify the growth process, minimize the wafer bow and reduce the epi-cost significantly. Based on our processes which were applied on AIXTRON’s CRIUS® system, GaN-on-Si power devices may reach even higher voltages in the near future,” comments Dr. Cheng Kai, co-founder of Enkris.

Enkris-wafer-graphDr. Frank Wischmeyer, Vice President Power Electronics at AIXTRON, says “Enkris‘ remarkable success in achieving excellent layer quality and material properties show the capability of the Closed Coupled Showerhead® technology for high voltage GaN HEMT applications. The MOCVD technology is enabling the integration of wide band-semiconductors on large diameter silicon substrates. AIXTRON is committed to support the power electronics industry advancing toward high volume 200mm GaN-on-Si device manufacturing.”

About Enkris Semiconductor
Enkris Semiconductor, Inc. is located in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The company’s main products are GaN epi-wafers for electronics applications including both wireless communications and high voltage power switching devices.

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GaN Systems is expanding: new HQ and R&D facility

GaN Systems Inc of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, a fabless developer of gallium nitride (GaN)-based power switching semiconductors for power conversion and control applications, has moved into its new headquarters and R&D facility at 1145 Innovation Drive, in the heart of Kanata’s high-tech community.

The firm says the move was necessitated by its expansion over the past 12 months, and it plans for continued rapid growth as GaN devices replace legacy silicon-based semiconductors in power conversion and control applications worldwide.

“These new facilities will provide the resources and capabilities we need as we move rapidly from R&D to commercialization this year,”

says CEO Jim Witham. The new HQ and R&D facility is three times larger than the previous premises, with a tenfold increase in laboratory space. The labs have dedicated power and cooling.

“When you produce devices that can switch 200A or more, it calls for some highly specialized facilities to fully test them,” explains co-founder & president Girvan Patterson. “The power available in this location and our custom-designed labs will enable us to fully explore higher-power applications and substantially accelerate the long-term reliability testing of our devices.”

Staffing has already increased significantly over the past six months, and GaN Systems has expanded its global team as its power conversion devices (based on its proprietary Island Technology) are commercialized.

 Source: http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2014/JUN/GANSYSTEMS_240614.shtml?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=Twitter

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