Semiconductor today

AquiSense Technologies LLC of Erlanger, KY, USA (which designs and makes UV-C LED water disinfection systems) says that its UV-C LED technology has been integrated into NASA’s Potable Water Dispenser aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and has been operational since August 2023...

Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan has developed deep ultraviolet (UV-C) LEDs with light output that is among the highest in the world, it is claimed...

Lumentum Holdings Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which designs and makes optical and photonic products for optical networks and lasers for industrial and consumer markets) has received the EcoVadis Platinum Medal for the second consecutive year, representing the highest level of recognition for sustainability performance. Lumentum remains in the top one percent of companies assessed by EcoVadis in the past year, increasing its overall score from 78 points to 80 points. In the environmental category, the firm increased its score by 10 points from last year. Medals are awarded based on the percentile rank of a company compared with the performance of all rated companies...

Keysight Technologies Inc of Santa Rosa, CA, USA has introduced RFPro Circuit, a next-generation radio frequency (RF) simulation tool targeting the complex, multi-physics requirements of RF integrated circuit (RFIC) designers. Wireless, automotive and satellite designers can now deliver robust designs that overcome performance challenges in dense 3D packaging, taking advantage of interoperability and automation to form complex workflows, says the firm...

ROHM group of Kyoto, Japan and STMicroelectronics of Geneva, Switzerland have expanded the existing multi-year, long-term 150mm silicon carbide (SiC) substrate wafers supply agreement with ROHM group company SiCrystal GmbH of Erlangen, Germany. The new multi-year agreement governs the supply of larger volumes of SiC substrate wafers manufactured in Nuremberg for a minimum expected value of $230m...

Germany’s ZSW (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung — or Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research — Baden-Württemberg) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module maker First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA have announced a strategic research partnership focused on advancing thin-film photovoltaics (PV). The partnership will focus not only on performance but also on the potential to develop and optimize all-thin-film tandem technologies on a gigawatt scale...

Due to the continual expansion of charging infrastructure and the coming need for infrastructure replacements, the emergence of electric vehicle direct current (EV DC) charging holds long-term market viability and presents a promising business venture for companies specializing in power electronics, reckons market analyst firm Yole Group. Meanwhile, alternating current (AC) chargers will persist alongside onboard chargers (OBCs) in vehicles until DC infrastructure becomes universally established, a process anticipated to take 10–15 years, says the firm in ‘DC Charging for Automotive 2024’, an update of its annual report...

The US Department of Defense has awarded $14.4m via the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program to specialty semiconductor and performance materials producer 5N Plus Inc of Montreal, Québec, Canada to sustain and expand the capability to produce space-qualified germanium substrates used in solar cells for both commercial and national security defense satellites. The effort supports the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy to continue and expand support for domestic production within the resilient supply chains strategic priority area...

Deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE of Herzogenrath, near Aachen, Germany has won the German Innovation Award...

Deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE of Herzogenrath, near Aachen, Germany says that in Q3 and Q4/2023 Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA — which makes silicon carbide (SiC) materials and power semiconductor devices — placed multiple-tool orders to utilize its G10-SiC chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system to help further ramp up production for 200mm (8-inch) SiC epitaxial wafers...

Virtual Forest of Bengaluru, India (an electronics design company specializing in motor control and human interface technologies for consumer appliances, fluid movement and mobility) has adopted the GaNFast power integrated circuits (IC) technology of gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA for a zero-emission, 3hp (2250W) solar-powered irrigation pump...

Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) has announced the successful evaluation of the submitted semiconductor pilot line proposals and has started negotiations with four consortia, targeting the signing of corresponding agreements later this year. The step aims to catalyse innovation in the region and reinforce Europe’s technological leadership on the global stage...

Vishay Intertechnology Inc of Malvern, PA, USA has introduced new blue and true green surface-mount LEDs in the ultra-compact MiniLED package. Measuring 2.2mm x 1.3mm x 1.4mm, the Vishay Semiconductors VLMB2332T1U2-08 blue and VLMTG2332ABCA-08 true green LEDs utilize the latest ultra-bright indium gallium nitride (InGaN)-on-sapphire chip technology to achieve typical luminous intensities at 20mA of 440mcd and 2300mcd, respectively, which is up to four times higher than previous-generation solutions in PLCC-2 packages...

Singulus Technologies AG of Kahl am Main, Germany (which makes production equipment for the optical disc and solar sectors) has introduced the TIMARIS STM modular high-vacuum sputtering system, which is said to offer significant progress in micro-LED manufacturing. The first TIMARIS STM system has already been sold and delivered...

A collaboration between TriEye Ltd of Tel Aviv, Israel and Vertilas GmbH of Garching bei München, Germany has led to the development of a joint technology demonstrator that integrates TriEye’s Raven short-wave infrared (SWIR) image sensor with Vertilas’ indium phosphide (InP) vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. Adopting high-volume, scalable manufacturing strategies, the technologies are said to provide cost-effective solutions for both consumer and industrial markets...

Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany is supplying its power semiconductor devices to inverter and energy storage system maker FOXESS of Shanghai, China (founded in 2019). Specifically, Infineon will provide CoolSiC MOSFETs 1200V, which will be used with EiceDRIVER gate drivers for industrial energy storage applications. At the same time, FOXESS’ string photovoltaic (PV) inverters will use Infineon’s IGBT7 H7 1200V power semiconductor devices...

Independent deep-tech venture capital fund PhotonVentures says that its second fundraising round of over €15m has been completed, bringing the fund’s total to the targeted €75m, following the first €60m round led by PhotonDelta and private investors...

ams OSRAM GmbH of Premstätten, Austria and Munich, Germany has joined forces with Malaysia-based automotive LED maker DOMINANT Opto Technologies in a strategic partnership aimed at integrating ams OSRAM’s Open System Protocol (OSP) into DOMINANT Opto Technologies’ next-generation intelligent RGB LEDs designed for automotive ambient lighting...

SweGaN AB of Linköping, Sweden has entered a strategic partnership with South Korea-based RFHIC Corp, which designs and manufactures GaN RF & microwave high-power semiconductor components and hybrid modules for applications in wireless communications, defense & aerospace, and RF Energy (industrial, scientific & medical). The new agreement encompasses an undisclosed equity investment from RFHIC. The two companies will focus on joint R&D and new product development...

Chicony Power Technology Co Ltd of New Taipei, Taiwan has announced the winners of its Annual Partner Awards, honoring Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany as its 2023 ‘GaN Strategic Partner of the Year’...