Partnership develops chips for electric vehicles

The Compound Semiconductor Centre (CSC) and Newport Wafer Fab (NWF) have been awarded UK Research and Innovation funding to develop advanced components for longer range Electric Vehicles (EVs). CSC - the joint venture between Cardiff University and IQE Plc - is teaming with NWF to create new production processes that will deliver high voltage semiconductor chip technology. The new fabrication process, using gallium nitride on silicon (GaN on Si), will leverage more than 30 years' experience in manufacturing silicon chips for power conversion at Newport Wafer Fab. The Newport facility - the world's first integrated Silicon and Silicon-on-Compound Semiconductor Foundry - is already accredited to supply its products to the global automotive industry. It is the UK's largest semiconductor manufacturing plant, employing 450 staff. NWF will use unique wafer processes developed by CSC in partnership with its parent company IQE at its Cardiff facility. CSC recently achieved full ISO9001 accreditation of its internal Quality Management System covering development through to volume scale up.