News: Microelectronics
27 March 2024
BelGaN qualifies its BEL1 650V eGaN platform for volume production with orders from several lead customers
Automotive-qualified gallium nitride (GaN) open foundry BelGaN of Oudenaarde, Belgium has qualified its BEL1 first-generation 650V eGaN platform for volume production for several lead customers that placed orders. After achieving this milestone within just two years, BelGaN is now ready to scale up as a high-volume GaN foundry in Europe.
The fab in Oudenaarde started as MIETEC in 1983, was acquired by Alcatel in 1990 then AMI Semiconductor in 2002, and sold to ON Semiconductor in 2008. The team there started GaN development in 2009. Established in September 2021, BelGaN acquired what was ON Semiconductor Belgium BV from onsemi in early 2022, the site in Oudenaarde has since been transforming from a silicon fab to a GaN fab.
“The GaN power device market is accelerating in unprecedented speed, proliferating from mobile consumer fast chargers to AI data-center, solar, industrial and automotive applications,” says CEO Dr Alan Zhou, “We have engaged with over 30 global GaN customers, and received orders from several customers in our BEL1 650V eGaN platform. As GaN volume is ramping up, customers are looking for additional capacity for GaN manufacturing, and for securing sources in Europe in view of geo-political challenges. BelGaN is perfectly positioned to support this,” he believes.
“Over the past years we have invested a lot in our R&D capabilities, doubling the team, leading to a cumulative GaN expertise of >300 man-years,” notes Dr Marnix Tack, chief technology officer & VP business development. “In collaboration with our lead customers, we have extensively tested products built in the BEL1 technology, demonstrating at par performance to industry leaders in charger applications.”
As part of the BEL1 release, BelGaN also offers several unique foundry services enabling a virtual IDM business model for its customers. These include quality services, technology development services and product design services: coming with the BEL1 platform, BelGaN is also releasing a library of reference products, with on-resistance Ron ranging over 70–1000mΩ, offered as bare die or in DFN 8x8 and 5x7 packages. These are available to BelGaN customers to accelerate the design of GaN products in the BEL1 platform, and for early testing of applications using those products.
Aixtron to deliver G10-GaN MOCVD system to BelGaN by end-2023
