ROHM has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with TSMC on development and volume production of gallium nitride (GaN) power devices for electric vehicle applications.  

The companies say the partnership will integrate ROHM's device development technology with TSMC's industry-leading GaN-on-silicon process technology to meet the growing demand for superior high-voltage and high-frequency properties over silicon for power devices.

GaN power devices are currently used in consumer and industrial applications such as AC adapters and server power supplies. TSMC, a leader in sustainability and green manufacturing, supports GaN technology for its potential environmental benefits in automotive applications, such as on-board chargers and inverters for electric vehicles (EVs).

The partnership is said to build on ROHM and TSMC’s history of collaboration in GaN power devices. In 2023, ROHM adopted TSMC’s 650V GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMT), whose process is increasingly being used in consumer and industrial devices as part of ROHM's EcoGaN series, including the 45W AC adapter (fast charger) "C4 Duo" produced by Innergie, a brand of Delta Electronics, Inc.

"GaN devices, capable of high-frequency operation, are highly anticipated for their contribution to miniaturisation and energy savings, which can help achieve a decarbonised society. Reliable partners are crucial for implementing these innovations in society, and we are pleased to collaborate with TSMC, which possesses world-leading advanced manufacturing technology" said Katsumi Azuma, Member of the Board and Senior Managing Executive Officer at ROHM.

“In addition to this partnership, by providing user-friendly GaN solutions that include control ICs to maximise GaN performance, we aim to promote the adoption of GaN in the automotive industry."

“As we move forward with the next generations of our GaN process technology, TSMC and ROHM are extending our partnership to the development and production of GaN power devices for automotive applications,” said Chien-Hsin Lee, Senior Director of Specialty Technology Business Development at TSMC.

“By combining TSMC's expertise in semiconductor manufacturing with ROHM's proficiency in power device design, we strive to push the boundaries of GaN technology and its implementation for EVs.”

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