News: Microelectronics
5 November 2024
Nexperia and KOSTAL partner on automotive-grade wide-bandgap devices
Discrete device designer and manufacturer Nexperia of Nijmegen, the Netherlands (which operates wafer fabs in Hamburg, Germany, and Hazel Grove Manchester, UK) has entered into a strategic partnership with automotive supplier KOSTAL of Lüdenscheid, Germany, which will enable it to produce wide-bandgap (WBG) devices that more closely match the exacting requirements of automotive applications. Nexperia will supply, develop and manufacture WBG power electronics devices that will be designed-in and validated by Kostal.
Alongside its established silicon portfolio, Nexperia offers a range of WBG semiconductor technologies including silicon carbide (SiC) diodes and MOSFETs, as well as GaN e-mode and d-mode devices.
The collaboration will initially focus on the development of SiC MOSFETs in topside-cooled (TSC) QDPAK packaging for onboard chargers (OBC) in electric vehicles (EV). Nearly one in every two cars worldwide is equipped with KOSTAL’s products, including more than 4.5 million onboard chargers.
“Nexperia has been a trusted supplier of silicon components to KOSTAL for many years and is delighted to enter into this strategic partnership that will now extend to wide-bandgap devices,” says Katrin Feurle, senior director & head of SiC Discretes & Modules. “KOSTAL will assist in validating our devices in its charging applications, thereby providing us with the type of invaluable ‘real-world’ data that will allow us to further enhance their performance,” she adds.
“KOSTAL is extending its’ strategic SiC supply portfolio to support our growth path towards 2030 with a special dedication on e-mobility applications for onroad and offroad applications,” says Dr Georg Mohr, KOSTAL Group’s executive VP purchasing & supply chain. “Under this strategic partnership, which reinforces our long-standing customer–supplier relationship, KOSTAL will leverage Nexperia’s expertise in wide-bandgap technology, particularly their SiC MOSFETs, which we believe are among the best in the market,” he adds. “By sharing our insights from real-world EV charging applications, we aim to contribute to the development of even more optimized and tailored SiC devices that meet the specific demands of our next-generation solutions.”
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