Microchip Technology acquires Microsemi

Microchip Technology is more a microcontroller and mixed-signal and analog devices manufacturer. They decided to acquire Microsemi Corporation.

They found an agreement where Microchip Technology will acquire Microsemi’s shares at $68.78, which will represent a total of equity of $8.35 billion. Both companies are looking at building a common strategy, joining Microsemi’s position on Power devices and Power Electronics markets, and Microchip position in analog and control devices.

The terms of the agreement have already been accepted by both companies’ Board of Directors, but it still needs confirmation of validity from the authorities and acceptance from Microsemi’s stakeholders. It’s expected to close by the end of Q2 2018.

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Navitas pave GaN’s way in the consumer charger world

Navitas Semiconductor today announced that GaNFast™ power ICs are used in the ‘Mu One’, a universal 45W consumer charger with an ultra-slim form factor: 14mm thickness. A Navitas GaN power IC is used in combination with USB-PD (USB Type C plug). The 45W adapter can fast-charge a smartphone or charge a laptop.

GaN power ICs reduce the size, weight and cost of  passive components by operating at higher frequency, and keeping losses low. The use of such devices using GaN ICs was expected for more than a year. Precedents small and light chargers include Dart from FiNSix, Zolt from Avogy, or the 55cc from Innergie (a subsidiary of Delta Electronics). PntPower analyzed the trend in previous articles (here, here and here) and will soon publish an update on this topic.

This time, the device is produce by Made in Mind, a UK based start-up:

“At Made in Mind, we are pre-programmed to challenge industry norms, we seek the finest of partners who share our beliefs. The Navitas GaNFast chips in the Mu One gave us a tremendous edge on speed-of-charging, efficiency and size”.

Commented Mathew Judkins, CEO of Made-in-Mind.

“Consumers can anticipate a wide range of fast-charging, high-density solutions in the coming months as our customers deliver a new class of power adapters with our GaNFast power IC technology.”

said Gene Sheridan, Navitas CEO.

The Mu One 45W adapter is available via a crowdfunding campaign, similarly to its competitors.

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Panasonic develops a new gate design for GaN Power transistors

Panasonic developed a new gate technology for GaN Power Devices. The insulated-gate transistor allows a continuous stable operation with no variation in its threshold voltage. It’s called MIS, for Metal Insulated Semiconductor. While continuing to improve and produce its GaN GIT, Panasonic worked on this new type of GaN devices based on MIS gate structure. Hysteresis normally occurs in MIS type GaN devices. Here, Panasonic managed to obtain continuous stable operation, which is required to operate the devices at high frequency.

They announced a few of the characteristics:

  • Continuous stable operation: maximum gate voltage of +10V
  • Drain current: 20A
  • Breakdown voltage: 730V
  • OFF operation time of 1.9 ns and ON operation time of 4.1 ns

A mix of Panasonic previous GaN technology, and gate structure innovation

The transistor is based on some previously developed and proven innovation from Panasonic as their GaN-on-Si technology. This allows the breakdown voltage of 730V. They also developed a crystal growth process to from the recessed gate structure without defects or processing damages. This allows the normally-off operation with such a drain current capability.

Source: Panasonic

The new gate insulator is based on AlON (Aluminum Oxynitride). It suppresses the hysteresis phenomenon usually observed for such a gate structure, created by electron traps within the insulator.

No production or commercialization roadmap has been given.

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GaN: 1200V & agreement with TSMC for VisIC Technologies

VisIC technologies, the GaN Israeli start-up, released two major announces at the same time: They are partnering with TSMC for mass production agreement, and they are starting to sample 1200V GaN transistors (and it’s a first).

VisIC 1200V GaN module:

The 1200V device released by VisIC for sampling is a half-bridge module with HEMTs, push-pull, over-current and over-temperature protection all included in the package. It logically use their in-house ALL-Switch technology: A lateral layer layout that improves switching capability and Rds(ON).

Bringing GaN transistors to the 1200V range allows new markets and applications for this wide band gap material. It could then target UPS and car chargers as well as PV inverters, EV traction inverter (see our Tesla’s IGBT based inverter article) and many more. 1.2kV is the limit where GaN is not only competing and enhancing Super Junction MOSFET applications but also IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs.

Partnership with TSMC:

TSMC’s partnership is not a first. The Taiwanese worldwide leader in chip manufacturing (TSMC is Apple Iphone processor manufacturer) has massively invested in GaN. It’s an opportunity for them to enter the power electronics market, opened by a new technology coming.

They also signed partnerships with other GaN device designers (GaNsystems and Dialog Semiconductor). It’s another main news and shows how TSMC quickly positioned themselves as a key player in a new born market.

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Mitsubishi Electric presented its 6.5kV Full SiC Power Module

Mitsubishi Electric claims to have achieved highest power density in Power modules thanks to its full SiC 6.5kV power module presented today.

Mitsubishi Electric chose to use a diode integrated with the MOSFET on the same die. No further information is given about the device. However, it seems this power module reaches unprecedented power density. The power module is compatible with Mitsubishi Electric’s HV100 Silicon IGBT power module range.

Mitsubishi Electric SiC Power Module

The development project for this power module is in partnership with NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). We can also count DOWA electronics materials, Mitsubishi Materials, Denka, and Japan Fine Ceramic among the participants to this project, together with three Japanese Universities: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Shibaura Institute of Technology, and Kyushu Institute of Technology.

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Peregrine Semiconductor changed its name: It’s now pSemi

Peregrine Semiconductor is a RF and Power management IC manufacturer. It’s part of Murata group. The name change comes with the company 30-year history. It serves as the semiconductor division of Murata. Peregrine Semiconductor is now to be called pSemi Corporation.

The new name comes with a new logo, here under and new website, to discover here.

Logo pSemi peregrine semiconductor murata

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First GaN-based desktop PC power supply to be released

Corsair, a leader in parts and components for PCs and laptops, announced the release of their last PSU (Power Supply Unit), the AX1600i. This 1600W power supply is mainly targeting gamers PCs. The 1.6kW power is large enough to supply a Desktop PC with a large microprocessor and several energy consuming graphic cards.

The real innovation in this specific PSU is that it’s using GaN based semiconductor:

The AX1600i uses Transphorm’s TPH3205WS 650V FETs in a bridgeless totem-pole power factor correction (PFC) topology. The boost PFC stage is then very efficient and taking the most of GaN technology. They replace Silicon SuperJunction MOSFETs that were used in previous Corsair power supplies topologies in a 2-phased interleaved PFC topology, less efficient. The power supply is now placed at a more than 80 PLUS Titanium rating.

Corsair Power supply unit for desktop gamer PC GaN gallium nitride devices

Courtesy of http://www.tomshardware.com/

Corsair choose Transphorm as it seems to be the best options for volume production and matching the characteristics and topology they were aiming at. They come in TO247 package, similarly to most SuperJunction MOSFETs. The semiconductor start-up has been fully involved in the design and test process to reach the results presented now.

Courtesy of http://www.tomshardware.com/

The AX1600i is already available and priced at USD499.

Here are some of the main improvements advertised by Corsair:

  • Power output: 1600W, 6.5% increase
  • Size reduction: 20 mm shorter, 11% smaller
  • Thermal impact: equivalent 50°C continuous output
  • Audible noise impact: slower fan speed, less noise at full load

GaN was expected to be used in consumer power supplies:

This news is totally in line with PntPower market and technology analysis and publications: The best fitting market segment for GaN today is within power supplies. We expected to see more laptop power supplies and desktop power supplies, but only the power range changes.

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Denso to invest in GaO start-up FLOSFIA

FLOSFIA is a start-up working on a new wide band gap material: Gallium-Oxide. It’s a spin-off from Kyoto University created in 2013. The company develops what they call a “α-type” Gallium-oxide structure. Professor Shizuo Fujita from Kyoto University developed first this new material. It provides a band gap of 5.3eV, much wider than other semiconductor wide band gap material. You can find more information about FLOSFIA in our last news on the subject.

Today Denso, one of the largest automotive equipment suppliers, announced they will invest in FLOSFIA in C series funding. Denso is the main supplier of Toyota. They helped develop the well-know and established hybrid system in Toyota Prius, Camry or other Lexus hybrid cars.

According to Denso, this material can provide better efficiency, cost, size and weight for Electric Vehicle in the future. At the time Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) are finally hitting market with the first wide band gap based converters, Denso is already looking at the next step. It may be found in Gallium Oxide power semiconductors.

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Delta to invest in GaNSystems

Delta, the world leader in SMPS Power Supplies, has realized an investment in GaNSystem. The Taiwanese manufacturer joins BMW iVentures together with several investment companies: BDC Capital, Chrysalix Venture Capital, Cycle Capital Management, RockPort Capital and Tsing Capital.

This new investment is announced only a few days after Transphorm, GaNSystem’s direct competitor, has announced a new investment from Yaskawa. The later released a GaN based servo-motor a few weeks before that.

One may see here, a pattern between system makers from Japan (Yaskawa) and Taiwan (Delta) investing in next generation semiconductors in order to get hands on prototypes or secure a strategic position.

Today’s GaN market is ready to boost. It has been so for a 2 to 3 years now. TSMC has invested in a huge manufacturing platform to propose volume production services.

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Rohm testing SiC Power Module in Formula E race cars

Rohm semiconductor is part of the first manufacturers to have developed and release SiC MOSFET in volume production. In order to demonstrate the performance of their devices, they sponsor the Venturi racing team: A team involved electric race car championship Formula E.

They presented last week the latest improvements added to the Venturi race car. After 3 seasons, Rohm and Venturi managed to reduce the size and weight of the main inverter, step by step. The 220 kW inverter is the main power piece of the official FIA (Fédération International de L’Automobile) electric-powered race championship.

The 4th version of the inverter, to be used in 2018, is now 4 kg lighter and 30% smaller compared to the one used in 2017. It’s now weighting 9 kg.

Rohm step by step improvement of the main inverter for Venturi team electric car

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Yaskawa invests again in Transphorm to push GaN devices

Transphorm has received a 15$ million investment from its long time partner Yaskawa Electric. The GaN for Power Electronics start-up was already linked to Transphorm. Yaskawa announced a few weeks ago a new series of Servo-motors using GaN devices from Transphorm.

Yaskawa’s investment gives again a little bit more room for Transphorm to develop its GaN devices business.

 

 

Some GaN power devices leaders and their finance ‘sources’ – (c) PntPower – Applications & Markets for GaN in Power Electronics 2016

 

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Danfoss to acquire the marine hybrid solutions maker Visedo

Danfoss Power Solutions division is willing to extend their leading position on the market. They decided to acquire Visedo.

Visedo is a Finnish manufacturer of hybrid and electric drivetrains for electric vehicles in the marine industry, commercial and heavy-duty vehicles. They commercialize solutions within the 30kW to 2 000kW range.

This acquisition is in line with Danfoss’s strategy to stay on top of electrification trends and extend their positions horizontally, in the supply-chain.

This follows their investment on Silicon-Carbide in the US, in order to take a strong strategic position on future semiconductors.

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