IDT to Acquire ZMDI for $310 Million

Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT®) (IDTI) today announced an agreement to acquire privately held ZMDI (Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden AG) for total consideration of $310M in cash. The acquisition provides IDT with a highly regarded Automotive & Industrial business, and extends their technology leadership in high performance programmable power devices and timing & signal conditioning.

Automotive & Industrial provides a significant new growth opportunity. IDT gains immediate leverage for new designs in Wireless Charging, Power Management, and Timing & Signal Conditioning. ZMDI’s business is already well established and positioned for growth, and benefits immediately from IDT’s scale and technology.

“This move accelerates progress to our $800M annual revenue goal within our industry benchmark financial performance by over a year,” said Gregory Waters, IDT President & CEO. “IDT’s strategy is unchanged, but our product and technology position is significantly expanded. Our target market segments of Consumer, Communications, and High Performance Computing all benefit from additional product, revenue, and customer relationships that bolster our commitment to outgrow the semiconductor market by at least a factor of two.”

IDT extends their rapidly growing line of programmable power devices, with new high-power products addressing Communications Infrastructure and Data Center applications. This creates a new industry franchise for high performance, scalable power management solutions that cover applications ranging from Wireless Charging to Solid State Drives to Data Centers & 4G/5G basestations.

“We gain an exceptional group of talented people and intellectual property from ZMDI, who join one of the technology industry’s fastest growing companies. With the added benefit of IDT’s cost structure and high volume manufacturing capability, we expect ZMDIrevenues to achieve a similar financial model as IDT’s existing business in the first year of combined operations,” Waters added.

ZMDI’s signal conditioning products provide an elegant interface between microcontrollers and analog components, such as sensors. This is extremely complimentary to IDT’s Advanced Timing products, and will enable intelligent systems that are aware of their surroundings, and can adjust system performance, timing, and power management automatically.

“We’re enthusiastic to join with IDT, and create the best positioned product innovation team in the mixed-signal semiconductor industry,” said Thilo von Selchow, President and CEO of ZMDI. “It’s rare to see such a potent combination that not only provides a powerful financial result, but more importantly establish the product and technology teams that will lead the industry in innovative new products and growth for this decade.”

The transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies, with closing expected before calendar end.

 

/0 Comments

Gallium Oxide-based diode better than SiC diodes

Flosfia Inc developed a schottky-barrier diode (SBD) with a withstand voltage of 531V and an on-resistance of 0.1mΩcm2 by using gallium oxide.

The on-resistance is lower than that of commercially-available SiC SBDs, according to Flosfia, a venture firm based in Kyoto. Based on the latest results, the company will ship samples of a product that uses the TO-220 package, which is commonly used for power devices, and has a withstand voltage of 600V at the end of 2015, planning to start volume production by 2018.

Gallium oxide is drawing attention as a material that potentially enables to make higher-withstand-volage, lower-loss power semiconductor devices at a low cost than silicon carbide (SiC) and GaN (gallium nitride), which are being developed as next-generation power semiconductor materials.

Specifically, Flosfia deals with an “α-type” gallium oxide having a structure called “corundum.” It makes an α-type gallium oxide by using the “mist epitaxy” method.

The method was developed by combining the “mist CVD method” developed by Shizuo Fujita, professor at Kyoto University, and the company’s own technologies including a technology to reduce impurity concentration and multi-layer technology. The “mist epitaxy” method eliminates the need for an expensive vacuum unit.

Thickness of foundation layer reduced to lower on-resistance

The new SBD consists mainly of two gallium oxide layers: the “foundation material (layer)” on the lower side and the “semiconductor layer” on the upper side. The foundation layer was formed as a film with a thickness of 20μm or less to lower on-resistance. The resistance of this gallium oxide film can be reduced to 1/100 that of a commercially-available SiC substrate, Flosfia said.

According to Flosfia, gallium oxide has a low thermal conductivity. But the thickness of 20μm or less contributed to lowering thermal resistance.

This time, the foundation and semiconductor layers were formed on a sapphire substrate by using the mist epitaxy method, and then, the sapphire substrate was removed. After that, processes such as etching and metalization were applied to make an SBD.

In addition to the SBD with a withstand voltage of 531V, Flosfia prototyped an SBD having a withstand voltage of 855V and an on-resistance of 0.4mΩcm2. The company plans to announce the details of the new SBD at IWGO, an international conference on gallium oxide, which will take place in November 2015.

/0 Comments

ABB and Microsoft engage together in EV Fast charger

ABB and Microsoft Corp. announced today the worldwide availability of a new electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging services platform. Combining ABB’s leading EV charging stations with Microsoft’s Azure cloud-based services will ensure stability, global scalability and advanced management features for ABB customers. The collaboration will also take advantage of machine learning and predictive analytic capabilities to drive future innovations.

“Platform performance and stability are critical differentiators for the successful operation of a modern, data-dependent EV charging station. By partnering with Microsoft, ABB will be able to offer best-in-class operations as well as innovative advanced services — what we call the Internet of Things, Services and People,” said Pekka Tiitinen, president of ABB’s Discrete Automation and Motion Division. “This partnership gives us the solutions, scalability and global agility to support expanding demand for EV charging infrastructure in the world’s major automotive markets, which is a key focus of our Next Level growth strategy.”

Many automotive brands are investing in the dynamic “full electric” vehicle market, with new model launches anticipated next year. According to a report by Hybrid Cars, the total number of electric vehicles sold globally has surpassed 1 million, with more than half of those purchased in the past 14 months.

The rapid increase in electric vehicles around the world goes hand-in-hand with a mature charging and energy infrastructure.

“Today we live in a mobile-first, cloud-first world, and this is ever apparent in the global electric vehicle market,” said Peggy Johnson, executive vice president of business development, Microsoft. “Our partnership with ABB aligns to one of our company ambitions to build the intelligent cloud platform, and we look forward to our technology and services becoming a differentiator for ABB’s solutions.”

Under the new collaboration, all ABB chargers will be connected to the Microsoft Azure cloud and surrounded by value-adding services, allowing operators and manufacturers and partners to take advantage of a world-class platform.

ABB and Microsoft will introduce their joint EV charging services platform at eCarTec, the world’s largest trade fair for electric and hybrid mobility, Oct. 20–22 in Munich, Germany.

/0 Comments

New Prius has 33% smaller power converter

Toyota Motor Corp disclosed the technique used to reduce the size of the power control unit (PCU) of the new (fourth-generation) Prius.

The PCU is used to control the electric power of the hybrid system and equipped with an inverter for driving the motor, a step-down DC-DC converter, etc.

The most distinguishing feature of the PCU is that its volume (8.2L) is about 67% that of the PCU of the third-generation Prius (12.6L). The small volume was realized by making improvements to the power device and cooling structure. Because of its smaller size, it can be installed right above the transaxle. As a result, it became possible to move the “12V battery” from the luggage space to the engine room.

To reduce the volume, Toyota changed the cooling method for a card-like thin power module called “power card.” The size of the power card was reduced by cooling the card from both sides to improve cooling performance and reducing the size of the IGBT chip (compared with the third-generation Prius). In the third-generation Prius, only one side of its power card is cooled.

Prius 4 Toyota power electronics converter

‘2-in-1’ product employed

The method of cooling both sides of the power card was also employed for the Lexus LS600h/LS600hL, which was released in 2007. At that time, it was a ‘1-in-1’ power card equipped with the power elements (IGBTs and diodes) of the power converter’s high or low sides.

For the fourth-generation Prius, Toyota adopted a so-called “2-in-1” package equipped with the power elements of the high and low sides to eliminate the space necessary to install the power card. The company newly developed a package of the power card for the fourth-generation Prius.

Toyota also reduced the loss of the IGBT. By reducing switching loss and steady loss, the company cut the power loss of the IGBT by about 20%, compared with the third-generation Prius. Though its withstand voltage is 1,200V, which is the same as in the case of the third-generation Prius. Its current density was improved by reducing the size of the chip. It is manufactured at Toyota’s Hirose Plant.

Number of control boards reduced to 1

To reduce the volume of the PCU, Toyota reduced the number of control boards inside the PCU from two to one by adding various functions to the driver IC of the power device. Furthermore, the company reduced the sizes of the smoothing capacitor and reactor as well as the thickness of the DC-DC converter.

 

Source: Nikkei Tech

/1 Comment

Nordic Power Converters raise $2M for LED power supplies

In January, they won the Danish Tech Challenge and $75K prize. In May, they won the EIT Venture Award and the Nordic Cleantech Open. Now Nordic Power Converters steps it up with an investment from Copenhagen-based SEED Capital and a line of prominent business angels. Further, they have partnered with HeSaLight to supply minimum 50,000 premium power converters for LED lighting.

Nordic Power Converters’ vision is to revolutionize the power converter market, where the technology has only seen incremental innovation over the previous 30 years.

The first application of their power supply will be in LED lighting products. LED lights can last quite long, but the complete products often fail sooner than expected because of the limited lifetime of the power converter. Further, the size of the power converter negatively affects the aesthetics and design potential of LED products. Nordic Power Converters has developed a power converter that solves these exact challenges. Their power converter doubles the lifetime, is five times smaller and reduces production costs considerably compared to existing products. Nordic Power Converters’ goal is to set the new standard for LED power converters (LED drivers), a market that is expected to reach $9 billion in 2019.

“With the investment we are able to accelerate and deliver innovative power converters to manufacturers of LED products across the globe. The next challenge is to attract talented people and develop the team to get us efficiently on the market and subsequently make us one of the world’s leading suppliers of LED power converters,” says CEO and co-founder Mickey Madsen.

Comparison of industry standard versus Nordic Power converters prototype.

Comparison of industry standard versus Nordic Power converters prototype.

Strong investor alliance

The investment in Nordic Power Converters is made in syndication between ten business angels and the venture capital firm SEED Capital. CCO and co-founder Regnar Paaske says that the team at Nordic Power Converters is very excited about the investor composition and that great emphasis has been put on attracting committed investors with relevant experience.

“I have followed the project over a couple of years and the core technology is now developed and demonstrated, the business model established and the team assembled. There is a strategy to get the products to the end-user, via partnerships, in the near future. Therefore, I believe the time is right to get this venture off the ground. Nordic Power Converters is a textbook example on how to bring research from idea to commercialization through entrepreneurial Ph.D. students, who are able to attract experienced commercial forces,” says Investment Manager in SEED Capital, Richard Breiter.

One of the business angels is Jørgen Bardenfleth, who is known to be a technology and innovation enthusiast. He has worked with several technology companies in Silicon Valley in the 1980’s, has been CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Microsoft in Denmark, and has held board positions in startups such as IPTronics and TheEyeTribe.

“Nordic Power Converters has the potential to be a game-changer and alter the way we use power converters in the future. The team has the talent and the ambition to go far. Therefore, I have invested in the venture and look forward to contributing actively to the journey we are embarking on,“ says Jørgen Bardenfleth.

Among the business angels are also Eivind Johansen, who was previously CTO at Giga, which was acquired by Intel for $ 1.25B, and US cleantech investor Greg Moga. Nordic Power Converters are open to further investors joining their journey at a later stage.

Ambitious partnership

HeSaLight is a Danish based LED lighting company with very high growth inside and outside of Europe. HeSaLight has observed Nordic Power Converters for more than a year in its dedication to provide better LED solutions and products to their users, and has now agreed to buy minimum 50,000 power converters from Nordic Power Converters. “With premium LED drivers from Nordic Power Converters, HeSaLight will provide LED lighting products that significantly lower the cost of ownership for our customers,” says HeSaLight COO Martin Nielsen. “Further, the reduced form factor of the LED driver will enable new attractive designs of our LED products.”

Nordic Power Converters has selected HeSaLight as its first large customer due to their innovative market approach, rapidly growing business and their strategic and agile management. Both parties expect to continue strengthening their relationship to ensure better power converters and LED lights to a global market.

About Nordic Power Converters

Nordic Power Converters was founded in the summer of 2014 as a spinout from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) with a technology platform developed during the previous five years. Their power converters can be used in a number of products like LED lights, laptop chargers and power supplies integrated in screens and entertainment equipment.

In the past three years, the founders of Nordic Power Converters have worked towards commercializing the technology and has chosen first to focus on the LED market and later to address other markets. The venture has won a long line of awards and recognitions. The team will expand significantly and is looking for agile team players with durable competencies ready for an exciting journey. The team has doubled in size in the first half of 2015 to 8 full time employees and seeks to repeat this in the second half of 2015, and again in 2016. Currently, they have 4 active job openings.

/0 Comments

Mitsubishi Electric: Silicon Carbide gets traction at 3.3kV and 1500A

The JSAP (Japanese journal of applied physics) featured in its September 2015 issue an article from a team at Mitsubishi Electric. They successfully built a 3.3kV power module rated at 1500A using only Silicon Carbide devices (MOSFET and SBD). They tested the modules on the traction system of a train in real conditions.

A summary is presented here under. Follow this link for the full paper.

Next-generation power electronics capable of reducing energy consumption are in high demand, particularly in the transportation industries. A key way of saving energy in electronics is by reducing the losses inherent in switching processes and power conversion. Much attention is now being given to a compound form of silicon and carbon called silicon carbide (SiC) for electronic components, a material whose properties outperform conventional silicon in terms of thermal conductivity, loss reduction and the ability to withstand high voltages.

Silicon carbide diode and MOSFET at 3.3kV from Mitsubishi Electric

Satoshi Yamakawa and co-workers at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation have developed a new power module made from a SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and a SiC Schottky barrier diode (SBD). The team successfully trialed the module in a train traction inverter – a device used to convert the direct current from the power source to three-phase alternating current suitable for driving the propulsion motors – with promising results.

For a power module in a traction inverter, low power loss, miniaturization, high voltage rating, and high temperature environmental resistance are required.

Yamakawa and his team prepared the SiC MOSFET for the power module by first n-type doping the junction field-effect transistor region: this reduced on-resistance of the device at high temperatures. By combining the SiC MOSFET with a SiC SBD – a diode which allows for fast and efficient switching – the team created a power module for a traction inverter rated at 3.3kV / 1500A.

A new traction inverter system equipped with their power module is stable, highly efficient and reduces switching losses by 55% compared with conventional silicon-based inverters.

Reference and Affiliation:

Kenji Hamada1, Shiro Hino1,2, Naruhisa Miura1,2, Hiroshi Watanabe1,2, Shuhei Nakata1,2, Eisuke Suekawa3, Yuji Ebiike3, Masayuki Imaizumi3, Isao Umezaki3, and Satoshi Yamakawa1,2. 3.3kV/1500A power modules for the world’s first all-SiC traction inverter. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 54 04DP07 (2015)

http://dx.doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.54.04DP07

  1. Advanced Technology R&D Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Amagasaki, Hyogo 661-8661, Japan

  2. R&D Partnership for Future Power Electronics Technology (FUPET), Minato, Tokyo 105-0001, Japan

  3. Power Device Works, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Fukuoka 819-0192, Japan

  4. Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan

/0 Comments

“Current”: The new energy efficiency company from GE

GE announced Current, powered by GE, an energy company that integrates GE’s LED, Solar, Energy Storage and Electric Vehicle businesses. It includes its Predix platform to identify and deliver the most cost effective, efficient energy solutions. Maryrose Sylvester, who as President and CEO at GE Lighting has led the transformation of one of the company’s most iconic businesses, will lead the new enterprise. Current is backed by GE’s balance sheet and financing expertise, and committed to successfully advancing ecomagination-certified technology solutions, new business models and Predix solutions for the energy sector.

 

Current by GE general electric

 

“Current combines GE’s products and services in energy efficiency, solar, storage, and onsite power with our digital and analytical capabilities to provide customers – hospitals, universities, retail stores, and cities – with more profitable energy solutions,” said Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE. “The creation of a new company within GE reinforces our commitment to take energy to the next level, focusing on custom outcomes for our Commercial & Industrial customers, municipalities and utility partners, and delivering a platform that can be upgraded as technology advancements are made.”

 

Current will begin with more than $1 billion of revenue and build on GE’s legacy in energy and technology. It will bring to market an energy-as-a-service offering that includes sensor-enabled hardware, software, fulfillment, product management and financing solutions. Through Predix, GE will analyze energy consumption and provide customers with data around patterns and needs along with recommendations to increase efficiency – from reducing power levels, to generating power on site to creating new revenue streams for customers through the use of sensors and networked systems in buildings. These advanced solutions will help customers save an estimated 10-20% on their energy bills, and help utility partners better manage their distributed load.

 

“We’ve been transforming the power and lighting sector since GE’s inception. Energy is part of our legacy, part of our genetic code. And digital code is a big part of our future. Once again, we have an opportunity with Current as a startup to lead another significant change in energy delivery,”

said GE Vice Chair Beth Comstock, whose oversight of Business Innovation encompasses Current and other transformation efforts. “Commercial enterprises can’t afford complexity and inefficiency in energy solutions if they are to remain competitive. They are looking for ‘future proofed’ solutions. From the socket to the grid, we understand how the electrons flow and have the unique position to optimize energy regardless of the scenario or customer.”

Several key customers, including Walgreens, Simon Property Group, Hilton Worldwide, JPMorgan Chase, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Intel and Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand, are piloting Current’s solutions to transform their operations, drive energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Current will be headquartered in the greater Boston, Mass. metropolitan area, with additional presence in the Silicon Valley. It is expected to create roughly 200 new jobs focused on software, outcomes selling and energy product management over the next few years. Operations have begun and will continue to increase in 2016. Learn more at www.CurrentByGE.com.

 

/1 Comment

Wolfspeed announce 1700V Silicon Carbide MOSFET

Wolfspeed, the new spin-off from Cree, that makes silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, has launched what it claims is the industry’s first 1700V SiC MOSFET offered in an optimized surface-mount (SMD) package. The higher blocking voltage enables design engineers to replace lower-rated silicon MOSFETs with the new SiC MOSFETs, delivering higher efficiency, simplified driver circuitry, and lower thermal dissipation, and resulting in lower total system costs, says the firm.

The new SMD package, specifically designed for high-voltage MOSFETs, has a small footprint with a wide creepage distance (7mm between drain and source). This is made possible by the small die size and high blocking capability of Wolfspeed’s SiC planar MOS technology. The new package also includes a separate driver source connection, which reduces gate ringing and provides clean gate signals.

“Our new 1700V SiC MOSFET provides power electronics engineers with significant design advantages, particularly in flyback topologies,”

claims Edgar Ayerbe, marketing manager for power MOSFETs. “Due to the lower switching losses of silicon carbide, the devices operate at much lower junction temperatures. This enables customers to directly mount the devices onto the PCB with no additional heat-sinks, which greatly reduces the manufacturing costs and improves the reliability of the systems,” he adds.

“The result is a smaller, lighter power supply with a lower system cost than is possible using silicon devices.”

Application of the new 1700V SiC MOSFET is anticipated in auxiliary power supplies within high-power inverters — such as solar power inverters, motor drives, uninterruptible power system (UPS) equipment, wind-energy converters, and traction power systems — which typically buck down DC voltages to operate system logic, protection circuitry, displays, network interface, and cooling fans. They can also be used in the power supplies of three-phase e-meters, or in any converter application that requires high blocking voltages and low capacitance.

Designated the C2M1000170J, the new 1700V SiC MOSFET features an avalanche rating greater than 1800V, and an RDS(on) on-resistance of 1Ω. These characteristics ensure reliable performance in flyback converter circuits, including those in noisy electrical environments such as those found in high-power inverters, says Wolfspeed. By enabling the design of single-switch flyback topologies from input voltages spanning 200V to 1000V, the 1700V SiC MOSFET simplifies the complex drive and snubber circuit elements required for silicon devices, the firm adds.

The C2M1000170J is fully qualified and available for sampling now.

/0 Comments

Ascatron and LPE cooperate on 150 mm SiC epitaxy for power electronics

Ascatron AB, supplier of silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxy material, and LPE SpA, a pioneer in epitaxy reactors for power electronics, have entered into a cooperation agreement to develop high performance SiC epitaxial material for volume production on 150 mm substrates. The first results demonstrating outstanding uniformity will be presented at the ICSCRM2015 conference in Catania.

Ascatron has installed a new SiC epitaxy reactor supplied by LPE in its production fab in Kista-Stockholm. The  reactor system with 150 mm wafer capability has the model name PE106. It is a new development from LPE and has recently been introduced on the market. Industry shortest cycle time and smallest footprint makes it an optimal choice for production of Ascatron’s high quality epitaxial material for high voltage power devices.

“The new production equipment from LPE is key to scale-up Ascatron advanced epitaxy processes to state-of-the-art 150 mm SiC wafers”

,says Christian Vieider, CEO of Ascatron. “We are now ready to provide our customers with n-type doped epi wafers with thicknesses from 0.1 µm up to 100 µm”.

“The new PE1O6 will further enhance Ascatron unique epitaxy based SiC technology, which is set to gain worldwide acceptance among device makers because of its superior features”, according to Franco Preti, CEO of LPE. “The cooperation with Ascatron enables LPE to strengthen our position on the market even further”.

“The single wafer concept of the LPE reactor is ideal to optimize growth parameters for a wide range of processes”, says Adolf Schöner, CTO of Ascatron.

“We are now able to establish our unique growth processes for embedded pn junctions and 3D structures on this 150 mm wafer platform, which is a crucial step towards cost effective production of next generation SiC power devices”.

/0 Comments

Panasonic claims 7.6kA/cm² for a GaN diode

Panasonic Corporation today announced that it developed gallium nitride (GaN) diodes that can not only operate at a high current that is four times greater than that tolerated by conventional silicon carbide (SiC) diodes*1, but also operate at low voltages by virtue of their low turn-on voltage. Production of the new diodes was made possible via a newly developed hybrid structure composed of separately embedded structure comprised of a low-voltage unit and a high-current-capable unit, in preparation for high voltage conditions.

Conventional silicon (Si) diodes are limited with regard to reducing switching losses. On the other hand, diodes based on SiC, a compound that is considered as a promising next-generation power semiconductor, as well as GaN, require an increased chip area to achieve high-current operations, thus posing limitations on the reduction of switching losses and size owing to increased operating frequencies.

GaN gallium nitride diode picture from panasonic

The newly produced GaN diodes have achieved simultaneous high-current operations and low threshold voltage, and thus can handle high currents even with a small chip area. The capacitance of the chip can therefore be reduced to achieve lower switching losses, allowing the device to operate at higher frequencies. As a result, use of GaN diodes in the voltage conversion circuits or inverter circuits of automotive or industrial equipment that requires high power can reduce system size due to high frequency operation.

This newly developed product has the following advantages.

・High-current operation: 7.6 kA/cm2 (approximately 4 times*1)
・Lower turn-on voltage: 0.8 V
・Low on-resistance (RonA): 1.3 mΩcm2 (approximately 50% reduction*1)

The diodes were created based on the following technologies.

Hybrid structure of GaN diodes with a trenched p-GaN layer:

We proposed a hybrid GaN diode with a p-type layer in which trenches are formed, and developed a processing technology that can remove a p-type layer on an n-type layer in a selective manner to achieve not only high-current operations and a low turn-on voltage but also a breakdown voltage of 1.6 kV.

Fabrication of Diodes on a low-resistance GaN substrate:

For this development, we used conductive GaN substrates with a low resistance, which have been commercially used in LEDs and semiconductor lasers and are expected to be adopted in power devices in the future, and established the technologies for the epitaxial growth and processing on a GaN substrate before forming diodes. A structure in which currents flow in the vertical direction enables a smaller chip area and lower resistance.

This work was partially supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan.

The results of this development were presented at the 2015 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials , Sapporo, Japan (September, 2015).

(*1 Compared to an SiC diode with a rated voltage of 1,200 V)

 

/0 Comments

Ascatron raising founds & partnering with Pilegrowth Tech

Ascatron signed an investment agreement with the Italian investors Quadrivio (through its venture capital fund TTVenture) and Como Venture, which now has been executed.

Quadrivio and Como Venture together received 16.7% share in Ascatron. Their aim is to continue to actively support Ascatron in order to create a leading industrial group for next generation power semiconductors based on wide bandgap material such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). The market is growing rapidly with an annual growth rate of 54% to reach US$ 2.0B in 2020.

“This is a first investment from international investors in Ascatron and we are very pleased to having Quadrivio and Como Venture taking lead on our current A-round fund raising”, says Christian Vieider, CEO of Ascatron.

“The money will be used to bring the Buried Grid technology for next generation high performance SiC Power electronic devices to the market”.

As part of the agreement Ascatron aquired 28.8 % of the shares in PileGrowth Tech, an Italian start-up company based in Milan. Pilegrowth has developed an innovative process for growing different semiconductor materials such as SiC on silicon. The material technology enable Ascatron to also address volume consumer markets with very competitive devices.

“The development of MOSFET transistors based on cubic SiC grown on silicon is an exciting challenge with potential to compete in the 300-1000V market with other semiconductors such as GaN”, according to Adolf Schöner, CTO of Ascatron.

About Ascatron

Ascatron develops next generation Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors radically reducing electrical conversion losses. With the 3DSiC® technology Ascatron provides the active doping structure based on epitaxy, enabling material quality and device performance unattainable through current methods. Ascatron fabricates the epitaxial material in-house and outsources processing of device wafers and chip packaging. Prototype fabrication is done in the Electrum Laboratory in Kista-Stockholm. Target applications range from high temperature for harsh environment to high voltage for wind, traction and data centers mass, as well as volume markets for solar and automotive. Ascatron started the operation in 2011 as a spin-out from the research institute Acreo, and has 10 employees in Sweden.

/0 Comments

Hitachi presents a full SiC inverter for EV

Hitachi Ltd and Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd developed a high-efficiency, high-output inverter for hybrid vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).

Compared with Hitachi’s existing product, the power loss of the inverter is 60% smaller, and its electric power capacity per volume is about 100% larger. The two companies expect that the new inverter will realize a long drive range and improve acceleration performance.

This time, Hitachi and Hitachi Automotive Systems developed a full-SiC power module and an inverter equipped with the module for HEVs and EVs by using SiC/GaN parallel packaging technology and double-side-cooling power module technology that they developed in the past.

SiC silicon carbide for EV HEV from Hitachi

For example, the parallel packaging technology was used to equalize the timing of switching on/off each SiC power semiconductor. In other words, a circuit board that equalizes the length of the control signal line connected to each SiC power semiconductor was developed to equalize the resistance characteristics of circuits. As a result, it became possible to fully exploit the low-resistance properties of SiC power semiconductor, increasing power capacity.

Also, for the new inverter, circuits are stacked so that the directions of load currents become opposite to one another, and it is stored in the can-like metal cooling fin of the double-side-cooling power module. As a result, the cooling fin offsets the magnetic field generated by the circuits so that the magnetic field energy stored in the circuits is reduced.

The newly-developed double-side-cooling full-SiC power module will be exhibited at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015, which will be open to the public from Oct 30, 2015, in Tokyo.

 

Source: http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/atclen/news_en/15mk/092900064/

/0 Comments