Renesas acquired Transphorm Inc. for its GaN technology, expanding into markets like EVs, data centres, AI, and renewable energy. Upon completion of its acquisition, Renesas will immediately start offering GaN-based power products to accelerate the rising demand for wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor products.
Renesas Electronics Corporation, a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, announces the acquisition of Transphorm Inc., an American company specializing in gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors.
This acquisition gives Renesas in-house GaN technology to accelerate wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor products. WBG materials like GaN and silicon carbide (SiC) are essential for next-generation power semiconductors due to their superior power efficiency, higher switching frequencies, and smaller footprints than conventional silicon-based devices.
Demand for GaN and SiC-based products is expected to increase, driven by electric vehicles (EVs), inverters, data centre servers, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, industrial power conversion, and consumer applications.
Additionally, Renesas rolls out 15 new Winning Combinations, market-ready reference designs that combine new GaN products with Renesas’ embedded processing, power, connectivity, and analogue portfolios.
These include designs featuring Transphorm’s automotive-grade GaN technology integrated into on-board battery chargers and 3-in-1 powertrain solutions for EVs.
Investing in the power business is vital to Renesas’ strategy for achieving sustainable, long-term growth. Recent moves by Renesas to strengthen this market segment include:
- Opening the Kofu Factory.
- A dedicated 300-mm wafer fab for power products.
- Ramping up a new SiC production line at the Takasaki Factory.
- Securing a steady supply of SiC wafers through a 10-year agreement with Wolfspeed.
With GaN technology now part of its portfolio, Renesas is poised to offer more comprehensive power solutions to meet customers’ evolving needs across a broad range of applications.
According to Chris Alexander, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas, customers immediately gain from the new GaN products through turnkey reference designs that combine technologies from both companies.
Incorporating GaN into our portfolio strengthens our dedication to creating products and technology that improve people’s lives. Offering robust and sustainable power solutions that conserve energy, lower costs, and reduce environmental impacts achieves this goal.
