Licensing and in-house integration are reshaping MMIC supply for AI data centres and EV power systems.
Japanese semiconductor maker ROHM Co., Ltd. is reorganising its production of high-performance gallium nitride (GaN) power devices to support growing demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure and electric vehicles. The company will bring licensed process technology into its own GaN device manufacturing chain, aiming to build a fully integrated production system by 2027.
At the heart of the move is a license agreement with TSMC to transfer process know-how for GaN power semiconductors into the company’s Hamamatsu factory. Once complete, the initiative will allow the company to combine its own development tools with TSMC’s process technology to scale output without depending on external foundries.
GaN devices are prized for their ability to operate at high voltages and frequencies with lower energy loss and smaller footprints compared to legacy silicon components. While already common in consumer fast chargers and adapters, GaN’s use is rapidly increasing in higher-power segments, including power units for AI server racks and onboard chargers in electric vehicles areas where efficiency and size directly affect system performance and cooling requirements.
The key highlights are:
- Licensed TSMC GaN process integrated into in-house production
- End-to-end, group-wide manufacturing target by 2027
- High-voltage GaN solutions for AI server and EV power systems
- GaN enables higher frequency, reduced losses, and smaller power subsystems
- Strengthened supply to meet escalating industrial demand
The company has been investing in GaN technology for several years. Its Hamamatsu facility began producing 150 V GaN products in 2022, and in 2023, the company adopted a 650 V GaN process under existing collaboration with TSMC. The latest licensing deal builds on that collaboration, giving it broader control over process design and future scaling.
Under the plan, the company aims to have the integrated production system operational by 2027, with the current GaN automotive-focused partnership with TSMC concluding once the technology is transferred. The companies said they will continue working together on power efficiency solutions even after the transfer is complete.
Analysts see this shift as part of a broader industry trend toward securing supply chains for specialised power semiconductors amid rising energy-efficient computing and electrification requirements. For electronics designers and manufacturers, a more stable GaN supply could ease part shortages and enable tighter integration of power systems in next-generation servers and EV platforms.
