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LATEST NEWS / PROJECTS / WBG3 Min Read
IAV and Nexperia have unveiled the ONE Inverter concept, a joint initiative that combines advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor technology with software-defined battery and system architectures to explore a new generation of high-voltage electric vehicle platforms.
The concept is designed to improve the utilization of battery capacity by enabling more intelligent management of battery cells and power distribution. Rather than relying solely on increasing battery size, the ONE Inverter approach focuses on extracting greater value from existing battery resources through dynamic control and allocation of battery sections within a software-defined architecture.
Under the collaboration, IAV contributed its expertise in software-defined systems, battery engineering, and vehicle architectures, while Nexperia provided the enabling semiconductor technologies, including its silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) solutions.
A central feature of the ONE Inverter concept is the ability to manage battery cells based on their individual condition and performance. Instead of the overall battery pack being constrained by its weakest cell, each cell can contribute according to its actual capability. This approach is intended to improve battery utilization while enhancing overall system robustness.
The concept is enabled by Nexperia’s advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor technologies, particularly a bidirectional GaN device that supports efficient and fast switching at the battery cell level. According to the companies, this capability makes the architecture both technically and economically viable. Alternative semiconductor approaches would require significantly greater system complexity and cost. Additional components from Nexperia’s semiconductor portfolio, including bipolar devices, also contribute to the overall system design.
The collaboration demonstrates how semiconductor innovation can be integrated into software-defined vehicle architectures. By combining IAV’s capabilities in battery systems, software development, and vehicle engineering with Nexperia’s expertise in semiconductors and packaging technologies, the companies are exploring new pathways to develop more efficient, resilient, and future-ready electric mobility solutions.
Jörg Astalosch, Chief Executive Officer of IAV, said the company’s strength lies in translating technological innovation into system-level solutions. He noted that the collaboration with Nexperia explores how software-defined battery architectures can unlock new levels of efficiency, flexibility, and resilience for future software-defined vehicles.
Edoardo Merli, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Group Wide Bandgap, IGBT & Modules at Nexperia, highlighted the importance of close collaboration in developing next-generation vehicle architectures. He stated that combining Nexperia’s SiC and GaN expertise with IAV’s advanced system concepts enables new approaches to electric mobility design, while early-stage cooperation helps align semiconductor and system requirements to create scalable, high-performance solutions.
The ONE Inverter concept has already been validated through a laboratory demonstrator. The technology was jointly presented by IAV and Nexperia at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC) Europe 2026 and PCIM Europe 2026, where it attracted significant interest from industry participants.
Original – Nexperia
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LATEST NEWS / PROJECTS3 Min Read
Applied Materials has expanded its manufacturing and research and development operations in Singapore with the opening of a new US$500 million (S$600 million) facility at its Tampines Campus. The expansion is designed to support the global build-out of artificial intelligence infrastructure and strengthen the company’s ability to serve semiconductor manufacturers increasing capacity to meet AI-driven demand.
The new Tampines Campus more than doubles Applied Materials’ advanced cleanroom capacity in Singapore and further strengthens the company’s global manufacturing network, which includes facilities in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Taiwan. The facility is already operating at volume production and is focused on supporting semiconductor customers expanding manufacturing capacity for next-generation chips.
Gary Dickerson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Materials, stated that the rapid adoption of AI technologies across industries is driving unprecedented demand for advanced semiconductors. He noted that the company’s expanded operations in Singapore enhance its ability to deliver the semiconductor manufacturing equipment required by chipmakers to accelerate the commercialization of future-generation devices.
The Tampines Campus represents a significant milestone in Applied Materials’ Singapore 2030 strategy, which focuses on strengthening global manufacturing and R&D capabilities, expanding technology ecosystem partnerships, and supporting local workforce development. The facility includes expanded manufacturing cleanrooms, increased production capacity, and dedicated R&D resources to support both regional and global customers. Applied Materials expects the expansion to create approximately 1,000 new local jobs over the coming years to support industry growth and technology commercialization efforts.
KC Ong, Group Vice President of Worldwide Manufacturing at Applied Materials, highlighted Singapore’s strategic importance within the company’s global operations over the past 35 years. He noted that the new facility has been designed to support the next generation of advanced manufacturing through automation and AI-enabled production technologies focused on speed, precision, and quality.
The Tampines Campus incorporates a range of intelligent manufacturing technologies, including autonomous mobile robots, automated assembly and testing systems, and AI-assisted quality inspection. The facility also integrates manufacturing, research, and ecosystem partnerships to accelerate technology development and commercialization. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are additionally used to support technician training and maintenance operations.
Sustainability was also a key consideration in the campus design. The facility has been developed to achieve Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Platinum certification and incorporates solar power generation, LED lighting systems, low-carbon concrete construction, a closed-loop water reclamation system designed to eliminate water waste, and a smart building management platform that monitors energy and water consumption in real time.
Png Cheong Boon, Chairman of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, stated that the use of advanced automation and AI technologies at the facility will help advance manufacturing capabilities in Singapore while strengthening the country’s semiconductor ecosystem and creating new employment opportunities.
The Singapore expansion forms part of Applied Materials’ broader global investment strategy. The company noted that it has nearly doubled its worldwide manufacturing capacity in recent years, including the new Tampines Campus, and has invested more than US$400 million in semiconductor equipment manufacturing infrastructure in the United States over the past five years. Applied Materials is also preparing to bring its new US$5 billion EPIC Center in Silicon Valley into operation this year. The facility is expected to become the largest U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment research and development and is intended to accelerate the commercialization of new semiconductor manufacturing technologies.
Original – Applied Materials
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LATEST NEWS / PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY / PROJECTS / SiC / WBG3 Min Read
GE Aerospace and Wolfspeed have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on accelerating the adoption of high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) technologies across industrial, aerospace, and defense applications.
Under the agreement, the two companies plan to work together on the development of standards for high-voltage SiC power modules. The collaboration is intended to support a range of applications, including solid-state transformers, industrial electrification systems, and next-generation aerospace and defense platforms, while also contributing to greater supply chain resilience.
The companies believe that high-voltage SiC power modules can enable more compact, efficient, and reliable systems by reducing the number of series-connected devices required in high-power applications. This simplification can help lower overall system complexity while improving performance across a variety of end markets.
Kris Shepherd, President of Electrical Power at GE Aerospace, noted that both companies have independently contributed to several industry-first innovations and stated that the collaboration aims to support the development of a robust high-power silicon carbide value chain focused on enabling smaller, lighter, and more efficient high-voltage systems.
Robert Feurle, Chief Executive Officer of Wolfspeed, emphasized the growing demand for advanced power technologies driven by artificial intelligence, electrification, and defense applications. He stated that the partnership is focused on supporting domestic sourcing of high-power silicon carbide modules and enabling power systems that improve efficiency while reducing deployment timelines. He also highlighted the readiness of high-voltage silicon carbide technology to address increasing power delivery challenges across multiple industries.
GE Aerospace has recently achieved several milestones in silicon carbide power electronics. The company qualified high-voltage power units for U.S. military ground vehicle applications, moving them into production readiness. In addition, GE Aerospace successfully demonstrated its fourth-generation silicon carbide power MOSFET technology at its Research Center in Niskayuna, New York. The new devices are designed to improve switching speed, efficiency, and durability in high-power applications.
Wolfspeed continues to expand its position in the silicon carbide market through its high-volume 200 mm SiC manufacturing platform. The company recently introduced what it describes as the world’s first commercially available 10 kV silicon carbide MOSFET, a technology that received recognition as a PCIM Top Innovation. The device is intended to provide industrial, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and defense markets with a production-ready solution for high-voltage power conversion applications.
Through the collaboration, GE Aerospace and Wolfspeed aim to support the broader adoption of high-voltage silicon carbide technologies and advance next-generation power systems for critical industrial and defense infrastructure.
Original – Wolfspeed
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LATEST NEWS / PROJECTS2 Min Read
Infineon Technologies AG has officially launched Moore4Power (“More than Moore for Disruptive Innovations in Power Electronics”), a major European semiconductor R&D initiative focused on developing next-generation smart, efficient, and sustainable power electronics systems.
The three-year project, funded through the European Chips Joint Undertaking and Horizon Europe programs, brings together 62 partners across 15 countries with a total project budget of €91 million. Participants include semiconductor manufacturers, universities, research institutes, and industrial companies spanning sectors such as automotive, rail, renewable energy, aerospace, and industrial automation.
Rather than relying solely on traditional transistor scaling under Moore’s Law, Moore4Power focuses on “More than Moore” system-level innovation. The initiative centers on heterogeneous integration, combining silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) technologies with sensing, communication, and control functions into highly integrated power systems optimized for efficiency, reliability, and power density.
A key technical focus is modular power chiplet architectures, enabling scalable and cost-effective designs for future high-performance power conversion platforms. The project builds on prior achievements from the PowerizeD initiative completed in 2025, which advanced efficiency and reliability in integrated power systems.
Moore4Power targets several strategic application areas:
- Renewable energy: improving wind turbine power conversion efficiency and harvested energy output.
- E-mobility: enabling near-lossless bidirectional charging with system efficiencies approaching 99%.
- Rail systems: reducing propulsion losses by at least 30%.
- AI and industrial electrification: supporting next-generation high-density power conversion infrastructure.
The project also emphasizes accelerated development methodologies using AI-assisted modeling, digital twins, and automated workflows. According to the consortium, these approaches could reduce the time between first silicon samples and validated datasheet release from several weeks to approximately one week.
Another major innovation is the integration of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) directly into power modules. These wireless-access lifecycle records will track operating conditions, health status, and remaining lifetime, supporting predictive maintenance, longer product lifecycles, and circular economy goals.
Strategically, Moore4Power reflects Europe’s broader push to strengthen semiconductor sovereignty and competitiveness in advanced power electronics. By combining wide-bandgap technologies with advanced packaging and system integration, the initiative aims to position Europe more strongly in critical future markets including electrification, renewable energy, AI infrastructure, and industrial automation.
The project consortium includes major industry participants such as ABB, Airbus, Alstom, IMEC, and multiple Infineon regional entities, alongside universities and research centers across Europe.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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LATEST NEWS / PROJECTS / SiC / WBG2 Min Read
NoMIS Power Corporation has joined a three-year, $2.5 million U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E DC-GRIDS program led by Michigan State University to develop next-generation high-voltage SiC-based modular converter technology for multi-terminal HVDC (MT-HVDC) systems.
The project focuses on creating Neutral Point Clamped Power Electronics Building Blocks (NPC-PEBBs) — standardized, vendor-agnostic submodules designed for scalable HVDC converter architectures used in grid modernization, AI data center power delivery, offshore wind integration, and long-distance transmission infrastructure.
At the core of the initiative is NoMIS Power’s expanding 3.3 kV SiC MOSFET portfolio, including its existing 80 mΩ device and upcoming 50 mΩ and 25 mΩ variants. The future 25 mΩ 3.3 kV MOSFET is particularly important for HVDC valve applications, where lower on-resistance directly improves efficiency, reduces conduction losses, and increases thermal headroom in high-current converter systems.
The consortium also includes Electric Power Research Institute, GE Grid Solutions, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, OPAL-RT Technologies, Salt River Project, and Minnesota Power.
The project reflects growing momentum behind solid-state HVDC infrastructure as electricity demand accelerates due to AI data centers, electrification, and renewable energy deployment. Compared with conventional silicon IGBT-based converter submodules, the SiC NPC-PEBB architecture promises higher voltage capability, full DC fault blocking, smaller capacitor requirements, and improved efficiency and power density.
Original – NoMIS Power
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LATEST NEWS / PROJECTS2 Min Read
Infineon Technologies AG has launched its 2026 Startup Challenge, a global innovation initiative aimed at accelerating the development of humanoid robotics technologies through collaboration with startups and emerging deep-tech companies.
The program is part of Infineon’s broader Co-Innovation Program, which combines semiconductor expertise with startup-driven innovation to develop scalable, market-ready solutions. The 2026 edition specifically targets technologies supporting humanoid robotics and physical AI applications.
Key technology focus areas include advanced sensing systems such as virtual skin and hand concepts, environmental perception using camera and radar fusion, interaction technologies based on laser projection systems, and precision motor control solutions for robotic movement and actuation.
Strategically, the initiative highlights Infineon’s growing focus on humanoid robotics as a long-term semiconductor growth market. Power management, sensing, connectivity, and motor control are all critical semiconductor-intensive functions in next-generation robotics platforms, positioning Infineon to expand its role beyond traditional automotive and industrial markets.
Participating startups will gain access to Infineon hardware and software development platforms, technical mentoring, prototyping support, and investor exposure. The program culminates in demonstration and pitch sessions attended by industry representatives and deep-tech investors.
From a market perspective, the challenge reflects increasing industry recognition that humanoid robotics and physical AI could become major future semiconductor demand drivers. As robotics systems evolve toward greater autonomy and real-world interaction, demand is expected to increase for advanced sensors, efficient power devices, embedded processing, and motion-control semiconductors.
The initiative also aligns with broader European industrial policy goals, as the program receives support under the IPCEI framework for microelectronics and computer technology, reinforcing Europe’s ambition to strengthen strategic semiconductor and robotics ecosystems.
Original – Infineon Technologies