Infineon masters GaN manufacturing on 300 mm wafers

Infineon has succeeded in manufacturing 300 mm GaN wafers on an integrated pilot line in Villach, Austria. The same facility also runs 300 mm production of silicon power ICs. “This technological breakthrough will be an industry game-changer and enable us to unlock the full potential of GaN,” says Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck. The GaN market is estimated to reach several billion dollars by the end of the decade.

GaN-based power semiconductors find fast adoption in industrial, automotive, and consumer, computing & communication applications, including power supplies for AI systems, solar inverters, chargers and adapters, and motor-control systems. GaN enables more efficient performance, smaller size, lighter weight and lower overall cost. Fully scaled 300 mm GaN production will contribute to GaN cost parity between silicon and GaN products, says Infineon.

In August, Infineon opened a fab in Malaysia dedicated to another type of compound semiconductor used for power electronics: SiC.