Exagan, an innovator of gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology that enables smaller and more efficient electrical converters, has begun a strategic partnership to develop and commercialize GaN-on-silicon products with HIREX Engineering, a company of Alter Technology Group (TÜV NORD GROUP’s Aerospace and Electronics Business Unit). TÜV NORD is a multi-national technical services provider to aerospace, industrial, mobile communications and IT markets. The partnership’s goal is to establish the reliability of GaN-on-silicon while also demonstrating to users the performance improvements to be gained and the low risk of integrating the energy-efficient technology in their own products.
Exagan will work closely with HIREX Engineering, a leader in reliability testing and qualification of ICs and discrete semiconductors for aerospace and industrial high-reliability applications. HIREX Engineering is located near Toulouse, France. Together, the companies will test and qualify Exagan’s G-FET products, which are fabricated with standard 200mm silicon processing and proprietary G-Stack technology. G-FETs are used in making smaller, more efficient power converters that have a broad range of applications in high-growth markets including plug-in hybrid and full-electric vehicles, solar energy and industrial applications as well as efficient charging of all mobile electronic devices.
“This dynamic partnership will help to propel GaN market development by pioneering test methodologies and measurement processes that make it easier for makers of electrical converters to implement GaN in improving their products,” said Frédéric Dupont, president and CEO of Exagan. “This timing is perfect to combine Exagan’s strengths with those of the top European specialist in high-reliability testing. GaN technology has matured to deliver the high performance of SiC (silicon carbide) devices at silicon ICs’ price and quality levels, and our key markets are ready for this next-generation solution.”
“Through its participation, HIREX Engineering will expand its expertise and business portfolio to include advanced power GaN technology and the end products it enables. We hope to establish robust and easy-to-reference product parameters for GaN that will allow fast integration in electrical converters,” said Luis Gomez, Alter Technology Group CEO.
“We are confident that GaN’s bulletproof reliability will present remarkable advantages in the fast-growing power electronics market,” said Dr. Guido Rettig, TÜV NORD GROUP CEO.