News: Microelectronics
31 May 2023
Navitas invests $20m in its first three Aixtron G10-SiC epi reactors
Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor of Torrance, CA, USA has announced the first in a series of strategic manufacturing investments, in order to increase control, reduce costs and enhance revenue capacity for its GeneSiC silicon carbide power semiconductors.
An initial $20m investment enables a three-reactor SiC epi-growth facility. The first G10-SiC epitaxy reactor from Germany’s Aixtron, with 6” and 8” wafer capability, is expected to be fully qualified and in production in 2024. Navitas views the epi-growth services to be provided by its new facility as a critical process step that could support up to an additional $200m in annual production. The firm expects to continue the use of third-party vendors for additional epi-growth, wafer fabrication and assembly operations.
“We are proud that an important technology innovator such as Navitas chose our new G10-SiC to further accelerate the adoption of SiC in the growing market for energy-efficient power devices,” says Aixtron’s CEO & president Dr Felix Grawert. “This is especially significant as Aixtron and Navitas are both firm believers and pioneers in the unstoppable advance of GaN and SiC over legacy silicon,” he adds.
“Adding a high-quality SiC epi-layer onto a raw SiC wafer is a critical process step prior to individual device manufacturing, and adding the Aixtron in-house epi capability to existing subcontract process flows expands available capacity, lowers finished wafer cost , increases quality and reduces cycle times,” says Dan Kinzer, Navitas’ chief operating officer/chief technology officer (COO/CTO) & co-founder. “The development and manufacturing business partnership with Aixtron includes ongoing technical and co-development support.”
Navitas’ investment in internal epi capacity is one of several initiatives in support of its recently announced $760m customer pipeline of estimated potential future business, based on expressed customer interest for qualified programs. While the conversion of this pipeline into orders or shipments depends on many factors in addition to possessing available capacity, the firm expects that its epi capacity expansion will provide a favorable return on investment under most anticipated planning scenarios.
Navitas recently completed an $80m follow-on offering of its common stock. It plans to use the proceeds for strategic manufacturing investments, among other possible uses, including working capital and general corporate purposes.
Navitas prices public offering to raise $80m, plus $12m option
Navitas doubles Q1 revenue year-on-year, boosted by acquisitions
Navitas acquires GeneSiC, accelerating entry into EV, solar and energy storage markets by 2-3 years
