Power Semiconductors Weekly

Infineon Technologies has officially opened the first phase of a new fab in Malaysia that will become the world’s largest and most competitive 200-millimeter #siliconcarbide #powersemiconductor fab. Malaysian Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chief Minister of the state of Kedah YAB Dato’ Seri Haji Muhammad Sanusi Haji Mohd Nor joined Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck, to symbolically launch production. Kulim 3 will be closely connected to the Infineon site in Villach, Austria, Infineon’s global competence center for power semiconductors. Infineon already increased capacity for #SiC and #GaN #powersemiconductors in Villach in 2023. As “One Virtual Fab” for #widebandgap technologies, both manufacturing sites now share technologies and processes which allow for fast ramping and smooth and highly efficient operation. The project also offers a high grade of resilience and flexibility, which will ultimately benefit Infineon’s customers.

onsemi released the newest generation #silicon and #siliconcarbide 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.

PANJIT International Inc. announced a strategic partnership with National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). This collaboration bridges the gap between academia and industry, marking a significant step in semiconductor talent development. Through this partnership, PANJIT and NKUST will establish a comprehensive platform that connects the educational and industrial spheres. PANJIT will offer NKUST students extensive industry insights and internship opportunities, allowing them to apply their theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.

MCC (Micro Commercial Components) unveiled a new 950V #MOSFET – MCU1K4N95SH. While traditional #MOSFETs often include energy losses and slower switching, this new superjunction (SJ) MOSFET features a low gate-to-drain charge, significantly reducing conduction losses and amplifying overall efficiency.

Wolfspeed announced its results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 and the full 2024 fiscal year. “We have two priorities we are focused on: optimizing our capital structure for both the near term and long term and driving performance in our state-of-the-art, 200-millimeter fab, and this quarter was a step forward on both of these priorities,” said Wolfspeed CEO, Gregg Lowe. “We achieved 20% utilization at Mohawk Valley in June and continued to see strong revenue growth from that fab. Our 200mm device fab is currently producing solid results, which are at significantly lower costs than our Durham 150mm fab. This improved profitability gives us the confidence to accelerate the shift of our device fabrication to Mohawk Valley, while we assess the timing of the closure of our 150mm device fab in Durham. At the JP, we have also made great progress, installing and activating initial furnaces in the fourth quarter. We have already processed the first #siliconcarbide boules from the JP and the quality is in line with the high-quality materials coming out of Building 10.

Analog Devices announced financial results for its fiscal third quarter 2024, which ended August 3, 2024. “ADI’s revenue finished above our guided midpoint with stronger profitability driving earnings per share near the high end of our outlook,” said Vincent Roche, CEO and Chair. “As we navigate this business cycle’s nascent recovery, our high-performance analog solutions portfolio positions us well to intersect the strong underlying stream of concurrent secular trends. Our innovation and customer-centric ethos will continue to form the foundation for our success and help drive long-term shareholder value.”

Alpha & Omega Semiconductor announced its new highly robust power #MOSFET LFPAK 5×6 package. AOS’s new LFPAK product offering is available in a wide range of voltages: 40V, 60V, and 100V, and it is designed to withstand harsh environments while maintaining MOSFET performance. The new devices are found in a broad range of applications such as industrial, server power, telecommunications, and solar, where high reliability is required.

JEDEC announced that it is hosting an Automotive Electronics Forum on September 19, 2024 in San Jose, CA. There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is required and space is limited. The Forum offers an impressive lineup of influential speakers covering a diverse range of innovative topics related to automotive electronics, including keynote presentations from Ford Motor Company, Micron Technology, Rivian, Samsung Semiconductor, SK hynix, and STMicroelectronics. Speakers from Infineon Technologies, Keysight Technologies, MIPI Alliance, Monolithic Power Systems, Inc., Synopsys Inc, Texas Instruments, VisIC Technologies Ltd. and Wolley Inc. round out the agenda. There’s something for everyone looking to stay ahead in this dynamic field.

Texas Instruments and U.S. Department of Commerce have signed a non-binding Preliminary Memorandum of Terms for up to $1.6 billion in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to support three 300mm wafer fabs already under construction in Texas and Utah. In addition, TI expects to receive an estimated $6 billion to $8 billion from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit for qualified U.S. manufacturing investments. The proposed direct funding, coupled with the investment tax credit, would help TI provide a geopolitically dependable supply of essential analog and embedded processing semiconductors.

Micro Point Pro (MPP) provided a wedge with a specialized tip coating, tailored to enhance bonding performance. This upgrade allowed the customer to achieve over 700,000 consecutive bonds—an improvement of more than 25 times the previous process—while maintaining high bond quality. Moreover, the need for frequent cleaning and wedge replacement was eliminated, resulting in substantial reductions in manufacturing resources and a significant boost in productivity. This, in turn, led to overall cost savings.