Gallium Nitride (GaN) has started gaining significant ground in the power semiconductor industry. Today, GaN semiconductors are used in everything from device chargers to power supplies for AI systems, solar inverters, and electric vehicles. Hardly surprising, because it has huge advantages over silicon, including higher efficiency, a more compact footprint, less weight, and greater power capabilities. However, GaN is still more expensive than silicon, which is the biggest obstacle it faces before taking over.
Now, GaN has received a big boost, thanks to Infineon’s 300 mm wafer. This thin slice of GaN, which is the first step in power semiconductor production, is technologically more advanced and more efficient than the currently available 200 mm wafers. In fact, thanks to the increased diameter, manufacturers can produce 2.3 times more chips from the wafer, cutting down costs.
As a result, according to Infineon, the new 300 mm wafer will bring GaN closer to silicon in price. Not only that but companies that currently produce 300 mm silicon power semiconductors can use the same manufacturing equipment to produce 300 mm GaN chips. This could be the biggest boost, as manufacturers won’t need big investments to produce these new chips. Thus, Infineon expects the GaN market to be worth several billion US dollars by the end of the decade.
“This remarkable success is the result of our innovative strength and the dedicated work of our global team to demonstrate our position as the innovation leader in GaN and power systems,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG. “The technological breakthrough will be an industry game-changer and enable us to unlock the full potential of gallium nitride. Nearly one year after the acquisition of GaN Systems, we are demonstrating again that we are determined to be a leader in the fast-growing GaN market. As a leader in power systems, Infineon is mastering all three relevant materials: silicon, silicon carbide, and gallium nitride.”
Article & Image Source: Infineon Technologies AG
