Accelerates Wide Bandgap Product Portfolio and Launches 15 New GaN-Based Winning Combination Reference Designs.
Renesas Electronics Corporation has completed its acquisition of Transphorm, Inc. deals in gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors, as of June 20, 2024. Following the acquisition, the company will immediately begin offering GaN-based power products and related reference designs to cater to the growing demand for wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor products.Founded in 2007 in Goleta, California, Transphorm emerged from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Wide Bandgap industry, establishing itself as a leading innovator in GaN semiconductors. The company designs, manufactures, and sells high-performance, high-reliability GaN power products for a wide range of high-voltage power conversion applications.
WBG materials like GaN and silicon carbide (SiC) are considered crucial for next-generation power semiconductors due to their superior power efficiency, higher switching frequencies, and compact size compared to traditional silicon-based devices. The market for GaN and SiC-based products is expected to expand rapidly over the next decade, driven by applications in electric vehicles (EVs), inverters, data center servers, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, industrial power conversion, and consumer electronics.
The company’s investment in the power business is a strategic move aimed at achieving sustainable, long-term growth. Recent initiatives to strengthen this market segment include the opening of the Kofu Factory, a dedicated 300-mm wafer fab for power products, the ramp-up of a new SiC production line at the Takasaki Factory, and an agreement with Wolfspeed to secure a steady supply of SiC wafers over the next decade. With GaN technology now in its portfolio, it is well-positioned to offer comprehensive power solutions to meet customers’ evolving needs across various applications.
Concurrent with the Transphorm acquisition, the company introduced 15 new Winning Combinations—market-ready reference designs that combine GaN products with its embedded processing, power, connectivity, and analog portfolios. These designs feature Transphorm’s automotive-grade GaN technology for on-board battery chargers and 3-in-1 powertrain solutions for EVs. Some include a 500W Onboard Battery Charger for 2-Wheeler EVs, a 3-in-1 EV Unit, a 240W 48V Extended Power Range AC/DC Adapter, and a 3.6KW Bi-directional Digital Power DAB System.
“Customers will benefit from our new GaN products through turnkey reference designs that integrate technologies from both companies,” stated Chris Allexandre, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas. “Incorporating GaN into our portfolio underscores our commitment to developing products that enhance people’s lives by providing robust and sustainable power solutions that save energy, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impacts.”
