The Munich-based semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies announces that it has developed the world's first 300 mm gallium nitride (GaN) wafer technology for power electronics.
Infineon describes it as a breakthrough to master this technology in an existing, scalable high-volume production. This should help to drive the market for GaN-based power semiconductors.
Chip production on 300 mm wafers is more efficient than on 200 mm wafers, as the larger wafer diameter enables 2.3 times the number of chips per wafer. GaN-based power semiconductors are increasingly gaining ground in the industrial, automotive and consumer, computing and communications sectors. Examples include power supplies for AI systems, solar inverters, chargers and adapters as well as motor control systems. The GaN manufacturing process improves device performance and enables higher efficiency, smaller size and weight and lower overall cost of end-user applications. In addition, 300mm manufacturing ensures supply stability for customers through scalability. One advantage is that it utilizes existing silicon manufacturing equipment, as gallium nitride and silicon are very similar in their manufacturing processes. Infineon will present the first of the new GaN wafers at the 'electronica' trade fair in Munich (November 12 - 15).
