Semiconductor today

Penn State University has launched the Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance (SCIA), a coalition of industry leaders, academic institutions and government support with a focus on becoming the USA’s central hub for research, development and workforce training in silicon carbide (SiC) crystal technology...

Ion implantation system maker Axcelis Technologies Inc of Beverly, MA, USA has shipped a Purion EXE SiC high-energy implanter as well as a successful Purion H200 SiC medium-energy implanter evaluation closure at power device chipmakers in Japan. The systems will be used for 150mm and 200mm production of silicon carbide power devices supporting automotive, industrial, energy and other power-intensive applications...

For its fiscal second-quarter 2024 (to end-February), LED chip and component maker SemiLEDs Corp of Hsinchu, Taiwan has reported revenue of $886,000 (almost halving from $1.65m last quarter). However, this included the period 3–18 February, when SemiLEDs shut down its manufacturing production due to the Chinese New Year holiday...

EPC Space LLC of Haverhill, MA, USA has launched the EPC7009L16SH, a radiation-hardened gallium nitride gate driver integrated circuit (IC) built on EPC’s proprietary eGaN IC technology...

BluGlass Ltd of Silverwater, Australia — which develops and manufactures gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes based on its proprietary low-temperature, low-hydrogen remote-plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) technology — has closed its share purchase plan (SPP), raising $5.87m before costs...

Semiconductor production test and reliability qualification equipment supplier Aehr Test Systems of Fremont, CA, USA has received an initial customer order for a FOX-NP wafer-level test and burn-in system, multiple WaferPak Contactors, and a FOX WaferPak Aligner to be used for engineering, qualification and small-lot production wafer-level test and burn-in of their silicon carbide devices...

SemiQ Inc of Lake Forest, CA, USA — which designs, develops and manufactures silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and 150mm SiC epitaxial wafers for high-voltage applications — has officially opened its newest office in Taiwan, underscoring its commitment to providing enhanced ground support to customers in the region while solidifying its presence in the Asia-Pacific market...

Guerrilla RF Inc (GRF) of Greensboro, NC, USA — which develops and manufactures radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for wireless applications — has completed a private placement equity financing, selling about 2 million shares of its common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase up to 2 million shares of its common stock...

The global LED market is set to recover in 2024, with revenue growing by 3% year-on-year to US$13bn, forecasts TrendForce. This resurgence is driven primarily by demand across various sectors, including automotive lighting and displays, general/architectural/agricultural lighting, LED video walls, and UV/IR LEDs. Additionally, the successful deployment of micro-LEDs in large displays by Samsung and luxury watches by Tag Heuer has played a significant role in this growth...

After raising $100m in a Series B funding round at the end of June 2023, Celestial AI of Santa Clara, CA, USA has raised $175m in a Series C funding round led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT), joined by new and existing investors including AMD Ventures, Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT), Temasek, Temasek’s subsidiary Xora Innovation, IAG Capital Partners, Samsung Catalyst, Smart Global Holdings (SGH), Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Engine Ventures, M-Ventures and Tyche Partners...

For coverage of all the key business and technology developments in compound semiconductors and advanced silicon materials and devices over the last month, subscribe to Semiconductor Today magazine...

Mojo Vision Inc of Saratoga, CA, USA — which is developing and commercializing micro-LED display technology for consumer, enterprise and government applications — has appointed Dr Achin Bhowmik to its board of directors. Bhowmik, chief technology officer at Starkey, a former executive at Intel, and currently the president of the Society for Information Display (SID), joins as an independent board member to provide guidance and oversight for Mojo Vision as it accelerates the development of next-generation micro-LED technology. With his appointment, Mojo Vision is tapping 23 years of industry experience in perceptual computing, display and semiconductor business...

The UK Government has announced a £16.6m investment to give semiconductor researchers and businesses access to new equipment helping them to test and make chips for use in high-energy machines such as electric vehicles and manufacturing equipment. Of the funding, £14m is targeted particularly at semiconductors used in power electronics...

In a ceremony attended by HRH The Princess Royal as well as key customers, ecosystem partners, investors and government officials, Pragmatic Semiconductor of Cambridge, UK has officially opened what is the UK’s first 300mm wafer fabrication line. The manufacturing facility at the 60,000m2 Pragmatic Park brownfield site near Durham in North-East England produces chips based on the firm’s unique flexible integrated circuit (FlexIC) technology...

Diamfab has raised €8.7m in a first round of funding from Asterion Ventures, as well as from the French Tech Seed fund (managed on behalf of the French government by Bpifrance as part of France 2030), Kreaxi with the Avenir Industrie Auvergne–Rhône–Alpes regional fund, Better Angle, Hello Tomorrow and Grenoble Alpes Métropole...

Quintessent Inc of Santa Barbara, CA, USA, which specializes in heterogeneous integration of quantum dot lasers and silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs), has closed on just over $11.5m in an oversubscribed seed funding round led by Osage University Partners (OUP), joined by new investors including M Ventures, and existing investors Sierra Ventures, Foothill Ventures, and Entrada Ventures...

Pushing ahead with the European Union (EU)-funded photonixFAB initiative, the consortium partners have taken the first step on the path to industrialize the European silicon photonics value chain by providing early access to R&D and small-scale manufacturing through technology partners...

Automotive-qualified gallium nitride (GaN) open foundry BelGaN of Oudenaarde, Belgium has qualified its BEL1 first-generation 650V eGaN platform for volume production for several lead customers that placed orders. After achieving this milestone within just two years, BelGaN is now ready to scale up as a high-volume GaN foundry in Europe...

Vector Photonics Ltd (which was spun off from Scotland’s University of Glasgow in 2020, based on research led by professor Richard Hogg) and an engineering unit at the University of Glasgow have signed a collaboration agreement to develop lasers that could have a use in manufacturing and consumer products...

Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA — which makes silicon carbide (SiC) materials and power semiconductor devices — hosted Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and other local officials, community partners and employees at a ‘last beam’ ceremony to celebrate the topping out of construction at the $5bn John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide, located in Siler City, Chatham County, NC. By the end of 2024, phase one of construction is expected to be completed on the 445-acre site...