SEOUL,
South Korea, June 19,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SK keyfoundry, an 8-inch
pure-play foundry in Korea, announced today that it has secured key
device characteristics for a next-generation power semiconductor,
GaN (gallium nitride). The company is intensifying its efforts for
the development of GaN and striving to complete it within the
year.
Furthermore, SK keyfoundry has maintained a steadfast focus on
the marketability and potential of GaN power semiconductors. To
this end, the company formed a dedicated team in 2022 to drive the
GaN process development. Recently, the company has secured new
device characteristics of 650V GaN HEMT, and targets to finalize
the development by the end of the year.
As 650V GaN HEMTs have high power efficiency, they reduce the
cost of heat sinks compared to silicon-based products. This results
in a less significant difference in price for end customers'
systems compared to silicon-based products. The company expects
that the silicon-based 650V product will provide fabless customers
in markets such as fast charging adapters, LED lighting, data
centers and ESS, and solar microinverters with an advantage in
developing premium products. In addition to securing new customers,
SK keyfoundry plans to actively promote its 650V GaN HEMTs to a
number of existing power semiconductor process-using customers who
have expressed their interests in the technology.
GaN has been referred as the next generation of power
semiconductors because of its high-speed switching and low ON
resistance characteristics, which enable lower loss, higher
efficiency, and miniaturization than silicon-based semiconductors.
The GaN power semiconductor market is expected to grow at a CAGR of
33% from $500 million in 2023 to
$6.4 billion in 2032, according to a
market research firm OMDIA, and will be primarily used in power
supplies, hybrid and electric vehicles, and solar power
inverters.
SK keyfoundry said based on the 650V GaN HEMT, it plans to build
a GaN portforlio that can offer a wide range of voltages for GaN
HEMTs and GaN ICs.
"We are preparing for the next generation of power
semiconductors in addition to our competitive high-voltage BCDs,"
said Derek D. Lee, CEO of SK
keyfoundry. "We will also expand our power semiconductor portfolio
to include not only GaN but also SiC in the future to establish
ourselves as a specialized power semiconductor foundry."
About SK keyfoundry
Headquartered in Korea, SK keyfoundry provides specialty Analog
and Mixed-Signal foundry services for semiconductor companies to
serve a wide range of applications in the consumer, communications,
computing, automotive and industrial industries. With a broad range
of technology portfolios and process nodes, SK keyfoundry has the
flexibility and capability to meet the ever-evolving needs of
semiconductor companies across the globe. Please visit
https://www.skkeyfoundry.com for more information.
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SOURCE SK keyfoundry.