Nexperia announced that its GaN FET devices, featuring next-gen high-voltage GaN HEMT technology in proprietary copper-clip CCPAK surface mount packaging, are now available to designers of industrial and renewable energy applications. Building on two decades of expertise in supplying high-volume, high-quality copper-clip SMD packaging, Nexperia is now proud to extend its revolutionary packaging approach to GaN cascode switches in CCPAK.

Siemens AG and Intel Corporation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on driving digitalization and sustainability of microelectronics manufacturing. The companies will focus on advancing future manufacturing efforts, evolving factory operations and cybersecurity, and supporting a resilient global industry ecosystem.

Foundries test the reliability of manufactured chips and package them effectively before sending them to the inventories/markets. The fifth article in the semiconductor manufacturing series discusses quality control and electrical die sorting. These are among the final procedures of microfabrication.

In late November, the pan-European REFORMERS research project, funded for five years under the EU's Horizon Europe program, was officially kicked-off in Bruxelles. The project focuses on the development, realization and roll-out of the “Renewable Energy Valleys” (REVs) – resilient regional multi-energy systems that aim to increase energy security while accelerating the green transition in Europe. Empa is a partner of the multinational consortium.

DigiKey, a global commerce distributor offering the largest selection of technical components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, announced it won four MarCom Awards in the 2023 international creative competition for marketing and communication professionals, including two platinum awards (highest honor), one gold award and one honorable mention.

Intel announced that its technology is helping power the Edge for Smart Secondary Substations (E4S) Alliance’s new solution to modernize the energy grid. The E4S solution disrupts the existing system, helping it move from a proprietary, closed-hardware architecture to an open, flexible, software-defined energy system.

Nexperia announced its first silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs with the release of two 1200 V discrete devices in 3-pin TO-247 packaging with RDS(on) values of 40 mΩ and 80 mΩ. NSF040120L3A0 and NSF080120L3A0 are the first in a series of planned releases which will see Nexperia’s SiC MOSFET portfolio quickly expand to include devices with a variety of RDS(on) ​​​​​​​ values in a choice of through-hole and surface mounted packages.

Hitachi Energy presented its groundbreaking solution to protect distribution transformers from transient voltage: Transformers with Transient Voltage Protection (TVP®) Technology. It is another milestone for the company’s commitment to developing innovative solutions for the energy industry. The solution sets new heights of reliability and resilience for transformers.

The transition to a decarbonized economy is accelerating fast and the demand for innovative technologies is increasing to support the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Lightweight and compact design of power electronic components is key to enabling efficient design and increasing the driving range of EVs – adding value to Tier 1 supplier / OEM system engineers and consumers.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has developed a novel system concept with industrial partners, which relies on the clever combination of On-the-Fly processing with ultra-fast scanning technology and lasers, high-end optics and sensor technology. Following the successful demonstration of the first system prototype in 2022, which achieved an effective throughput of over 15,000 wafers per hour, a second prototype that uses UV light to create particularly small structures is now in use at Fraunhofer ISE.