Semiconductor today

Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA — which makes silicon carbide (SiC) materials and power semiconductor devices — has appointed Matthias Buchner as senior VP of global sales & chief marketing officer, effective 1 December. He will report directly to chief executive officer Robert Feurle...

Highlighting how light-based technology is helping to power the UK’s economic growth, on 3 October CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre (C-PIC) — the UK’s dedicated Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) for silicon photonics (affiliated with the University of Southampton and the University of Glasgow, as well as the UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council) — was visited by Prince Edward, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, who met academics developing silicon photonics and saw how this technology is being used in data centers, as well as its emerging applications in healthcare, AI and quantum technology...

Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA — which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications — has announced the availability of a high-efficiency, high-power-density 5kWAC-to-48VDC reference design that demonstrates the full potential of GaN technology for next-generation server and AI power architectures...

Fabless firm Cambridge GaN Devices Ltd (CGD) — which was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 to design, develop and commercialize power transistors and ICs that use GaN-on-silicon substrates — is working GlobalFoundries of Malta, NY (GF, the only US-based pure-play foundry with a global manufacturing footprint, including facilities in the USA, Europe and Singapore). The partnership strengthens CGD’s fabless strategy, expanding the supply chain for its ICeGaN power devices...

Alcoa Corp (which provides bauxite, alumina and aluminium products) has welcomed the announcement of the USA and Australian governments to advance the development of a gallium plant to be co-located at its Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia...

The director of the Blue Laser Fusion Energy Collaborative Research Institute — jointly established by Blue Laser Fusion Inc (BLF) of Santa Barbara, CA, USA and the University of Osaka (UOsaka) — has been selected as one of the project managers (PMs) for Japan’s Moonshot Research and Development Program to develop a fusion reactor using BLF’s laser technology...

The first demonstration of scandium aluminium nitride (ScAlN) thin films grown by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition PEALD expands application to complex 3D structures, according to a University of Michigan study published in Applied Physics Letters and funded partly by the Army Research Office (W911NF-24-2-0210)...

Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany has launched the CoolSiC MOSFETs 1400V G2 in the TO-247PLUS-4 Reflow package, supporting higher DC-link voltages and enabling improved thermal performance, reduced system size and enhanced reliability...

Japan-based power semiconductor firm ROHM has released a new white paper detailing power solutions for AI data centers based on the 800VDC architecture of NVIDIA of Santa Clara, CA, USA...

Skyworks Solutions Inc of Irvine, CA, USA (which manufactures analog and mixed-signal semiconductors) has introduced its expanded Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, with new front-end modules (FEMs) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters designed to enhance range and coverage across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands...

Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA — which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications — is developing power converters to accelerate the adoption of 800VDC distribution systems for the next generation of AI data centers...

NUBURU Inc of Centennial, CO, USA — which was founded in 2015 and developed and previously manufactured high-power industrial blue lasers — has reaffirmed that it remains in full compliance with NYSE American regulatory disclosure requirements. This follows the resolution of a technical communication timing issue, related to the coordination of press release dissemination...

Raj Gawera has been appointed as chief operating officer (COO) of the UK Semiconductor Centre, leading its early mobilization and engagement as it builds plans to champion the UK semiconductor sector on the global stage...

The UK Semiconductor Centre has moved into its next phase of mobilization with the announcement of its newly formed Interim Steering Group...

Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany says that it is supporting the 800V direct current (VDC) power architecture announced by NVIDIA of Santa Clara, CA, USA at Computex 2025 for AI infrastructure...

STMicroelectronics of Geneva, Switzerland has unveiled a complete prototype of its new power delivery system as it develops new chip designs supporting the 800VDC power architecture announced by NVIDIA of Santa Clara, CA, USA for next-generation AI data centers...

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) spin-out Vertical Semiconductor has raised $11m in a seed funding round led by Playground Global of Palo Alto, CA, USA to help accelerate development of vertical gallium nitride (GaN) transistors for AI chips in data centers. Additional investors include JIMCO Technology Ventures, milemark•capital, and Shin-Etsu Chemical...

CVD Equipment Corp (CVDE) of Central Islip, NY, USA (a designer and maker of chemical vapor deposition, thermal processing, physical vapor transport, gas and chemical delivery control systems, and other equipment and process solutions for developing and manufacturing materials and coatings) has received an order for two PVT150 physical vapor transport systems from Stony Brook University (SBU) for their new ‘onsemi Silicon Carbide Crystal Growth Center’...

ams OSRAM GmbH of Premstaetten/Graz, Austria and Munich, Germany and Nichia Corp of Tokushima, Japan have expanded their long-standing collaboration in the field of intellectual property (IP). ams OSRAM’s CEO Aldo Kamper and Nichia’s president Hiroyoshi Ogawa signed a comprehensive cross-license agreement covering thousands of patent-protected innovations in LED and laser technologies...

The supervisory board of ams OSRAM AG of Premstaetten, Austria, and Munich, Germany has approved a new contract with chief financial officer Rainer Irle, running until 15 October 2030. The existing three-year contract would have expired on 30 June 2026...