SK keyfoundry, Intensifying Efforts for Development of GaN, Next-Generation Power Semiconductor

SEOUL, South Korea, June 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SK keyfoundry, an 8-inch pure-play foundry in Korea, announced today that it has secured key device characteristics for a next-generation power semiconductor, GaN (gallium nitride). The company is intensifying its efforts for the development of GaN and striving to complete it within the year.

Furthermore, SK keyfoundry has maintained a steadfast focus on the marketability and potential of GaN power semiconductors. To this end, the company formed a dedicated team in 2022 to drive the GaN process development. Recently, the company has secured new device characteristics of 650V GaN HEMT, and targets to finalize the development by the end of the year.

As 650V GaN HEMTs have high power efficiency, they reduce the cost of heat sinks compared to silicon-based products. This results in a less significant difference in price for end customers’ systems compared to silicon-based products. The company expects that the silicon-based 650V product will provide fabless customers in markets such as fast charging adapters, LED lighting, data centers and ESS, and solar microinverters with an advantage in developing premium products. In addition to securing new customers, SK keyfoundry plans to actively promote its 650V GaN HEMTs to a number of existing power semiconductor process-using customers who have expressed their interests in the technology.

GaN has been referred as the next generation of power semiconductors because of its high-speed switching and low ON resistance characteristics, which enable lower loss, higher efficiency, and miniaturization than silicon-based semiconductors. The GaN power semiconductor market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% from $500 million in 2023 to $6.4 billion in 2032, according to a market research firm OMDIA, and will be primarily used in power supplies, hybrid and electric vehicles, and solar power inverters.

SK keyfoundry said based on the 650V GaN HEMT, it plans to build a GaN portforlio that can offer a wide range of voltages for GaN HEMTs and GaN ICs.

“We are preparing for the next generation of power semiconductors in addition to our competitive high-voltage BCDs,” said Derek D. Lee, CEO of SK keyfoundry. “We will also expand our power semiconductor portfolio to include not only GaN but also SiC in the future to establish ourselves as a specialized power semiconductor foundry.”

About SK keyfoundry

Headquartered in Korea, SK keyfoundry provides specialty Analog and Mixed-Signal foundry services for semiconductor companies to serve a wide range of applications in the consumer, communications, computing, automotive and industrial industries. With a broad range of technology portfolios and process nodes, SK keyfoundry has the flexibility and capability to meet the ever-evolving needs of semiconductor companies across the globe. Please visit https://www.skkeyfoundry.com for more information.

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SOURCE SK keyfoundry.