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STMicroelectronics, TSMC Join Forces on GaN Adoption

March 16, 2020

Combining their respective expertise in automotive applications and GaN process technology, ST Microelectronics and TSMC look to broaden adoption of wide-bandgap devices.

David Maliniak

In an effort to accelerate adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) process technology, STMicroelectronics and TSMC are teaming to produce a portfolio of power GaN and GaN IC devices. These devices will leverage GaN’s wide bandgap to achieve improved energy efficiency in power-conversion applications.

GaN is a wide bandgap semiconductor material which offers significant benefits over traditional silicon-based semiconductors for power applications. These benefits include greater energy efficiency at higher power, leading to a substantial reduction in parasitic power losses. GaN technology also allows the design of more compact devices. Additionally, GaN-based devices switch at speeds as much as 10X faster than silicon-based devices while operating at higher peak temperatures. Such robust and intrinsic material characteristics make GaN well-suited for broad-based adoption in evolving automotive, industrial, telecom, and specific consumer applications across both the 100V and the 650V clusters.

Power GaN and GaN IC technology-based products will enable ST to provide solutions for medium and high-power applications with better efficiency compared to silicon technologies on the same topologies, including automotive converters and chargers for hybrid and electric vehicles. Power GaN and GaN IC technologies will help accelerate the megatrend of the electrification of consumer and commercial vehicles.

ST expects the delivery of first samples of power GaN discrete devices to key customers later this year, followed by GaN IC products within a few months.

ST Microelectronics, www.st.com; TSMC, www.tsmc.com

About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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About me:

In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.