News: Suppliers
15 April 2024
South Korea’s RFHIC invests in epiwafer supplier SweGaN
SweGaN AB of Linköping, Sweden has entered a strategic partnership with South Korea-based RFHIC Corp, which designs and manufactures GaN RF & microwave high-power semiconductor components and hybrid modules for applications in wireless communications, defense & aerospace, and RF Energy (industrial, scientific & medical). The new agreement encompasses an undisclosed equity investment from RFHIC. The two companies will focus on joint R&D and new product development.
Over the last decade, SweGaN has been developing and producing custom, engineered gallium nitride on silicon carbide (GaN-on-SiC) epitaxial wafers (based on its unique QuanFINE growth technology) for RF and power devices in applications such as 5G telecoms infrastructure, defense radars, satellite communications, on-board chargers, and data centers.
SweGaN says that, in partnership with RFHIC, it gains additional resources to expedite market penetration and to achieve its business goals. “With the accelerating demand for high-performance semiconductor materials to power a multitude of applications and increase the efficiency in an energy-conscious world, the new equity investment will support SweGaN’s capacity expansion plan of its best-in-class GaN-on-SiC epitaxial wafers and tap joint product developments with RFHIC,” says CEO & founder Jr-Tai Chen.
RFHIC cites the partnership with SweGaN and investment strategy that targets strengthening RFHIC’s gallium nitride supply chain and further fortifying the competitiveness of its RF and microwave products within the compound semiconductor arena.
SweGaN says that, as market requirements for high-power, highly efficient semiconductors are spurred by the rapid growth of a wide array of applications such as 5G communications, defense radars and data centers, it is moving to address the growing demand by expanding its in-house manufacturing capacity and R&D capability. The new strategic partnership with RFHIC has the potential to invigorate its position in key geographical areas as it aims to lead a transition from legacy material solutions to its GaN semiconductors.
“As RFHIC maps its future strategy for GaN semiconductors including accelerated market demand for products in 5G, 6G, satellite communication and more, SweGaN’s high-performance 6-inch GaN epiwafers for RF and power semiconductors – with exemplary high power efficiency – provide a strong fit for our technological roadmap and diversification of gallium nitride epitaxial wafer suppliers,” comments RFHIC’s chief technology officer & co-founder Dr Samuel Cho. “SweGaN’s unique epitaxial wafer development and manufacturing technology is a key factor in the high performance of gallium nitride semiconductors that we can tap in developing new products in the 4GHz ultra-high-frequency band increasingly sought after by the market,” he adds.
SweGaN appoints Stefan Axelsson as CFO and Anders Lundskog as R&D manager
SweGaN to build new HQ and GaN-on-SiC epiwafer production facility
SweGaN adds chief operating officer as it scales up GaN-on-SiC epi manufacturing
