ROHM and TSMC Launch Strategic Gallium Nitride Technology Collaboration for the Automotive Industry

Santa Clara, CA and Kyoto, Japan, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ROHM Co., Ltd. (ROHM) today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership with TSMC on the development and volume production of gallium nitride (GaN) power devices for electric vehicle applications. The partnership will integrate ROHM’s device development technology with TSMC’s industry-leading GaN-on-silicon process technology to meet the growing demand for superior high-voltage and high-frequency properties over silicon for power devices.

GaN power devices are currently used in consumer and industrial applications, such as AC adapters and server power supplies. TSMC, a leader in sustainability and green manufacturing, supports GaN technology for its potential environmental benefits in automotive applications, such as on-board chargers and inverters for electric vehicles (EVs).

The partnership builds on ROHM and TSMC’s history of collaboration in GaN power devices. In 2023, ROHM adopted TSMC’s 650V GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMT), a process increasingly being used in consumer and industrial devices as part of ROHM’s EcoGaN™ series, including the 45W AC adapter (fast charger) “C4 Duo” produced by Innergie, a brand of Delta Electronics, Inc.

“GaN devices, capable of high-frequency operation, are highly anticipated for their contribution to miniaturization and energy savings, which can help achieve a decarbonized society. Reliable partners are crucial for implementing these innovations in society, and we are pleased to collaborate with TSMC, which possesses world-leading advanced manufacturing technology” said Katsumi Azuma, Member of the Board and Senior Managing Executive Officer at ROHM. “In addition to this partnership, by providing user-friendly GaN solutions that include control ICs to maximize GaN performance, we aim to promote the adoption of GaN in the automotive industry.”

“As we move forward with the next generations of our GaN process technology, TSMC and ROHM are extending our partnership to the development and production of GaN power devices for automotive applications,” said Chien-Hsin Lee, Senior Director of Specialty Technology Business Development at TSMC. “By combining TSMC’s expertise in semiconductor manufacturing with ROHM’s proficiency in power device design, we strive to push the boundaries of GaN technology and its implementation for EVs.”

About TSMC
TSMC pioneered the pure-play foundry business model when it was founded in 1987 and has been the world’s leading dedicated semiconductor foundry ever since. The company supports a thriving ecosystem of global customers and partners with the industry’s leading process technologies and portfolio of design enablement solutions to unleash innovation for the global semiconductor industry. With global operations spanning Asia, Europe, and North America, TSMC serves as a committed corporate citizen around the world.

TSMC deployed 288 distinct process technologies and manufactured 11,895 products for 528 customers in 2023 by providing broadest range of advanced, specialty and advanced packaging technology services. The company is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan. For more information, please visit https://www.tsmc.com.

About ROHM
Established in 1958, ROHM provides IC and discrete semiconductors characterized by outstanding quality and reliability for a broad range of markets, including the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets via its global development and sales network. In the power and analog field, ROHM proposes the suitable solution for each application with power devices such as SiC driver ICs to maximize their performance and peripheral components such as transistors, diodes, and resistors. Further information on ROHM can be found at https://www.rohm.com.

EcoGaN™ is a trademark or registered trademark of ROHM Co., Ltd. 

Attachment

• ROHM-TSMC Strategic Partnership

CONTACT: Keng Ly
ROHM Semiconductor
(248) 348-9920
kly@rohmsemiconductor.com

Heather Savage
BWW Communications
(408) 507-4398
heather.savage@bwwcomms.com