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May 14, 2012...Bridgelux Inc. of Livermore, California USA, and Toshiba Corporation, announced they have created a Blue class 8” GaN on Silicon LED chip that emits 614mW. The 1.1 mm square chip operates at 350 mA with a forward voltage <3.1V. Like several other LED companies, Bridgelux is continuing to actively develop GaN on Silicon LED technology. (See Coverage).

The announcement comes just months after Bridgelux and Toshiba signed a joint collaborative agreement this year. The companies plan to further accelerate their development efforts for LED chips. Toshiba has also reportedly invested in Bridgelux. The goal of the investment is to boost Bridgelux's GaN-on-Silicon LED chip technology development efforts with the help from further development of Toshiba’s silicon process and manufacturing technology. Toshiba is the latest in a string of Bridgelux investors that see the potential for GaN-on-Silicon LEDs. (See Coverage).

“Toshiba and Bridgelux have already been engaged in the development of the technology, and the equity investment brings both companies one step closer to a more strategic relationship and achieving our shared goal of driving down the cost of Solid State solutions for the general lighting market,” said Bill Watkins, Bridgelux Chief Executive Officer.

“We are pleased to achieve the best-reported 8” GaN-on-Silicon LED performance through our joint development activities with Bridgelux. We will continue to pursue more advanced development targeting commercialization of the technology,” said Makoto Hideshima, Executive Vice President of Semiconductor and Storage Products Company, Corporate Vice President of Toshiba.

Emcore Completes Sale of VCSEL Product Lines to Sumitomo
CompoundSemi News Staff

May 14, 2012...Emcore Corporation of Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, announced the completed sale of its Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL)-based product lines to Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations U.S.A., Inc. (SEDU), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries, LTD (SEI).

As previously disclosed, SEI agreed to pay $17 million in cash for the fixed assets, inventory and intellectual property of the VCSEL-based product lines within Emcore's fiber optics business unit, subject to closing adjustments. These product lines include VCSEL and photodiode components, parallel optical transceiver modules, and active optical cables.

Toshiba Announces DTMOS-IV Process and New Superjunction Technology for Power MOSFETs
CompoundSemi News Staff

May 14, 2012...Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., announced its DTMOS-IV process and a new-generation of superjunction (SJ) technology for power MOSFETs. According to Toshiba, the products based on the DTMOS-IV technology will offer a combination of high-speed operation, high-efficiency and low EMI noise that will make ideal switching devices in switch mode power supplies, lighting ballasts and other power applications. The DTMOS-IV technology reportedly uses a deep-trench process that narrows the lateral SJ pitch, thereby optimizing overall performance.

According to the company, SJ MOSFETs offer ultra-low on resistance without power loss penalties. As a result, Toshiba says its new DTMOS-IV process, which is deployed in the company's latest family of 600V power MOSFETs, offers on resistance ratings that are up to 30 percent lower than third-generation DTMOS products with the same die size. Toshiba says now designers can now choose a 600V MOSFET in a TO-220SIS package with an RDS((ON)) of just 0.065 Omega, or a similar device in a TO-3P(N) package with an RDS(ON) down to 0.04 Omega.

Toshiba notes that DTMOS-IV has enabled the minimization of MOSFET output capacitance (C(oss)) for optimized Switching Power Supply operation at light load. The company says that furthermore, an optimized gate-drain capacitance (C(gd)) delivers improved dv/dt switching control, while an optimized RDS((ON))*Q(g) figure of merit supports high-efficiency switching. Finally, supporting lower dv/dt ratings, allows DTMOS-IV to reduce EMI noise.

TriQuint to Lead DARPA MPC Program
CompoundSemi News Staff

May 7, 2012...The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. of Hillsboro, Oregon USA, to lead a $12.3 million development program focused on ultra-fast gallium nitride (GaN) switch technology for the Microscale Power Conversion (MPC) program. TriQuint says its new GaN modulator has the potential to enable highly-efficient RF transmitters that are substantially smaller than current solutions.

DARPA selected TriQuint as the prime contractor for MPC Technical Area I, which seeks to develop a high-speed, DC-to-DC switch (modulator) and related process technology based on the company’s enhancement-mode GaN transistors. The enhancement mode power switching device for the MPC program will be designed to have a blocking voltage of 200 volts, ultra-low dynamic on resistance of 1 ohm-mm and a slew rate of 500 volts per nanosecond. These capabilities will provide state-of-the-art solid-state technology. RF amplifiers employing these switches will target 75% system efficiency at X-band (8-12 GHz).

TriQuint is teamed with Rockwell Collins, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Northrop Grumman—Technical Area II contractors—to create a new generation of RF power amplifiers that use contour modulation for very high efficiency performance. Design approaches focusing on miniature system-in-a-package or monolithic integration to combine TriQuint’s switch / modulator with the power amplifier micro-system will be given preference.

GaN Systems & APEI to Package Gallium Nitride Power Transistors for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
CompoundSemi News Staff

May 7, 2012...GaN Systems Inc. of Ottawa, Ontario Canada, and Arkansas Power Electronics International Inc. (APEI), announced that they will collaborate on the development of a gallium nitride transistors and diodes for hybrid and electric vehicles. This co-development is funded in part by the Government of Canada through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) with the goal of demonstrating the efficiency, performance, and reliability of gallium nitride power devices in a power converter for hybrid and electric vehicles (HEVs and EVs).

Girvan Patterson, CEO of GaN Systems stated, "Advanced packaging is the key that unlocks the vast potential of gallium nitride in high-power applications so we are delighted to be collaborating with a world leader on a package and system design that will maximize the benefits of this exciting technology. This important partnership also marks a powerful endorsement of our patented, island-based topology, validating our unique design approach." "For some time APEI has been looking for an opportunity to get more heavily involved in developing products for newly-emerging gallium nitride device technology," said Dr. Alexander Lostetter, President and CEO of APEI. "Our partnership with a pioneer such as GaN Systems will be very exciting for us, resulting in new power module and converter technologies for an industry that is demanding increased energy efficiency, higher performance and reliability, and smaller size and weight."

Cree Introduces 50A SiC ICs for High-Power Applications
CompoundSemi News Staff

May 7, 2012...Durham, North Carolina-based Cree, Inc. announced a new family of 50A Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices, including the industry’s first 1700V Z-FET™ SiC MOSFET. According to Cree, the new 50A SiC devices, which also include a 1200V Z-FET SiC MOSFET and three Z-Rec® SiC Schottky diodes, boast record-setting energy efficiency and lower cost of ownership than with conventional technologies. The 50A SiC device series includes a 40 mOhm 1700V MOSFET, a 25 mOhm 1200V MOSFET and 50A/1700V, 50A/1200V, and 50A 650V Schottky diodes.

The new devices, available in die form, are designed for high-power modules for applications such as solar power inverters, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) equipment, and motor drives. Cree says that the SiC 50A devices, enable significantly lower cost of ownership through reduced size, lower-cost bill of materials (BOM), and improved efficiency.

“These larger die extend the benefits realized with our 20 Amp SiC MOSFETs to power applications up to 500 kW, making it possible to replace less capable conventional silicon IGBTs in high-power, high-voltage applications,” Cengiz Balkas, vice president and general manager, Cree power and RF said.

Cree notes that it has had a history of SiC technology firsts including the first 1200V SiC MOSFET and the first production 1200V and 1700V SiC Schottky diodes. Samples of all these high-power devices are available immediately, with production volumes targeted for fall 2012. Preliminary datasheets are available upon request for samples in die form.

SDK to Form JV with Toyoda Gosei for GaN LED Business
LIGHTimes News Staff

April 30, 2012...Japanese company, Showa Denko K. K. (SDK) reports that it plans to form a joint venture with Toyoda Gosei for the production and sale of GaN LEDs. Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has decided to split its business in gallium-nitride (GaN)-based blue LED chips, and transfer 70% of shares in the new company to Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. (Toyoda Gosei), by the end of this year. The joint venture will be established in the area of GaN LED chips being produced at SDK’s plant in Chiba Prefecture.

SDK produces and sells a wide variety of LED chips, including aluminum-gallium-indium-phosphide (AlGaInP), gallium-arsenide (GaAs), gallium-phosphide (GaP) in addition to GaN. SDK says it is already cooperating with Toyoda Gosei, a maker and developer of GaN LEDs. SDK says that By establishing a joint venture with Toyoda Gosei for the GaN LED business, SDK will expand overall supply capacity. SDK indicated that that it hopes the cooperation will synergistically effect it R&D in improving brightness and production efficiency. SDK will reportedly continue its independent operations making LEDs with materials other than GaN. The joint venture is tentatively called TS Opto Co., Ltd.

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