Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday in a statement said that it would phase out its compound semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) business over the next two years, citing market dynamics.
The decision would not affect its financial targets announced previously, the world’s biggest contract chipmaker said.
“We are working closely with our customers to ensure a smooth transition and remain committed to meeting their needs during this period,” it said. “Our focus continues to be on delivering sustained value to our partners and the market.”
Photo: Bloomberg
TSMC’s latest move came unexpectedly, as the chipmaker had said in its annual report that it has developed second-generation 650 volt and 100 volt GaN chips, with production expected to commence this year, while it is developing an 8-inch 650 volt enhanced high-electron-mobility transistor scheduled for production next year.
GaN-based chips are emerging as an alternative to silicon-based chips in applications demanding high power efficiency, faster switch speeds and smaller form factors. The chips are used in the automotive industry, data centers and optoelectronics.
Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (力積電) is to succeed TSMC as a supplier of high-voltage GaN chips to Navitas Semiconductor Inc, Navitas said in a statement on Tuesday.
Powerchip has reached an agreement with Navitas to produce GaN chips at its 200mm plant in Miaoli County’s Jhunan Science Park (竹南科學園區).
Powerchip is to manufacture Navitas’ GaN portfolio with ratings from 100 volts to 650 volts, supporting growing demand from hyperscale artificial intelligence data centers and electric vehicles, Navitas said.
Qualification of initial devices is expected in the fourth quarter this year and the 100 volt family is expected to start production at Powerchip in the first half of next year, while 650 volt devices would transition from TSMC to Powerchip over the next 12 to 24 months, Navitas said.
Powerchip’s fab has been operational since 2019 and supports high-volume manufacturing processes for GaN, ranging from micro-LEDs to radio frequency GaN devices, the company added.
UNPRECEDENTED PACE: Micron Technology has announced plans to expand manufacturing capabilities with the acquisition of a new chip plant in Miaoli Micron Technology Inc unveiled a newly acquired chip plant in Miaoli County yesterday, as the company expands capacity to meet growing demand for advanced DRAM chips, including high-bandwidth memory chips amid the artificial intelligence boom. The plant in Miaoli County’s Tongluo Township (銅鑼), which Micron acquired from Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (力積電) for US$1.8 billion, is expected to make a sizeable capacity contribution to the company from fiscal 2028, the company said in a statement. It would be an extended production site of Micron’s large-scale manufacturing hub in Taichung, the company said. As the global semiconductor industry is racing to reach US$1 trillion
Singapore-based ride-hailing and delivery giant Grab Holdings Ltd has applied for regulatory approval to acquire the Taiwan operations of Germany-based Delivery Hero SE's Foodpanda in a deal valued at about US$600 million. Grab submitted the filing to the Fair Trade Commission on Friday last week, with the transaction subject to regulatory review and approval, the company said in a statement yesterday. Its independent governance structure would help foster a healthy and competitive market in Taiwan if the deal is approved, Grab said. Grab, which is listed on the NASDAQ, said in the filing that US-based Uber Technologies Inc holds about 13 percent of
Taiwan’s food delivery market could undergo a major shift if Singapore-based Grab Holdings Ltd completes its planned acquisition of Delivery Hero SE’s Foodpanda business in Taiwan, industry experts said. Grab on Monday last week announced it would acquire Foodpanda’s Taiwan operations for US$600 million. The deal is expected to be finalized in the second half of this year, with Grab aiming to complete user migration to its platform by the first half of next year. A duopoly between Uber Eats and Foodpanda dominates Taiwan’s delivery market, a structure that has remained intact since the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) blocked Uber Technologies Inc’s
Memory chip stocks extended their losses yesterday after Alphabet Inc’s Google publicized research that could allow more efficient use of the storage needed for artificial intelligence (AI) development. SK Hynix Inc and Samsung Electronics Co, South Korean leaders in the market, fell more than 6 percent and about 5 percent respectively in Seoul. In the US, Micron Technology Inc, Western Digital Corp and Sandisk Corp slid more than 2 percent in pre-market trading, after they all closed lower on Wednesday. Memory companies have been on a tear in recent months as the rapid development of AI infrastructure triggered a spike in chip
RSS