Sept 11 (Askume) – German semiconductor maker Infineon (IFXGn.DE) said on Wednesday it would capture a bigger share of the growing gallium nitride (GaN) wafer market and announced a plan to make technological breakthroughs that could drastically cut costs.
Infineon CEO Jochen Hahnbeck told reporters that the market for this technology would reach billions of dollars by the end of this decade.
“We want to shape the market,” he said.
GaN is an alternative to silicon in wafer manufacturing, with GaN wafers preferred for their efficiency, speed, light weight, and ability to operate at higher temperatures and voltages.
With the help of these chips, small chargers can be made for devices like laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles.
“We expect the market price of GaN wafers to approach the price of silicon in the next few years,” Hanbeck told reporters.
Infineon is able to produce GaN wafers on 300 mm wafers, a move the company says is a world first.
The number of GaN wafers that can be placed on a 300 mm wafer is 2.3 times that of a 200 mm wafer, reducing production costs, Hanbeck said.
