25 September 2014

ON Semiconductor and Transphorm to co-develop and co-market GaN-based power systems

ON Semiconductor of Phoenix, AZ, USA, which supplies silicon-based power and signal management, logic, discrete and custom devices for energy-efficient electronics, and Transphorm Inc of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, CA, USA, which designs and provides gallium nitride (GaN)-based power conversion devices and modules, have partnered to co-develop and co-market GaN-based products and power system solutions for high-voltage applications in the industrial, computing, telecom and networking sectors.

The strategic partnership aims to leverage strengths inherent in both companies. Transphorm claims to be the first firm to bring to market production-qualified 600V GaN-on-silicon transistors. As a supplier of energy-efficient power solutions, ON Semiconductor has expertise in system design and a portfolio ranging from power discretes, high-performance AC/DC controllers and integrated switchers to full custom ASIC power management solutions.

For power applications, GaN has been shown to deliver significant performance advantages compared to silicon-based devices. ON Semiconductor and Transphorm say that the new generations of packaged products they are co-developing will provide reliable, qualified solutions that aim to enable designers to achieve previously unobtainable levels of efficiency and power density.

“ON Semiconductor clearly recognizes the inherent benefits that GaN technology can bring to the power electronics market and we are excited about partnering with a recognized and proven leader in this area in addition to pursuing our own GaN development work,” says Bill Hall, executive VP & general manager of the firm’s Standard Products Group. “Together we can bolster customer confidence in this new technology and accelerate broad market adoption,” he reckons.

Partnering with a leading power semiconductor company like ON Semiconductor will provide Transphorm’s customers with a broader set of GaN-based products and solutions, notes Transphorm’s CEO Fumihide Esaka. “This relationship is not only significant for faster penetration of GaN in the marketplace but also meaningful for the entire power conversion industry,” he claims.

The first co-developed solutions based on 600V GaN transistors (addressing high-power-density applications in the 200-1000W range for compact power supplies and adapters for telecom and server markets) are expected to be available for sampling before the end of 2014. The packaged transistors will include low-voltage MOSFET silicon from ON Semiconductor for the cascoded switch plus proven GaN high-voltage high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) from Transphorm. Co-packaging, assembly and test of the devices will be performed at ON Semiconductor production facilities.

Power system reference designs will be provided to customers, enabling implementation of new solutions with GaN-based transistors and the high-performance AC/DC controllers required to take full advantage of the technical benefits of GaN devices.

See related items:

Transphorm and Fujitsu to merge GaN power device businesses

ON Semiconductor joins imec’s GaN-on-Si research program

Tags: Transphorm GaN-on-Si GaN HEMT

Visit: www.transphormusa.com

Visit: www.onsemi.com