Exagan reaches out to global markets

With its second Power Solutions Centre launched, Exagan is ready to bring GaN-on-silicon devices to the masses, reports Rebecca Pool.

Recently, GaN-on-silicon device pioneer, Exagan, has been investing a great deal in its infrastructure. This May, while attending PCIM Europe 2019, it revealed that it will be opening a Power Solutions Centre in Toulouse, France to advance its GaN portfolio.

The latest Centre follows the launch of Exagan's first applications centre in Taiwan later last year, and accompanies established epitaxy manufacturing facility in Grenoble, France. Crucially, it comes at a time when the supplier is keen to demonstrate the performance of its 650V 'G-FET' power transistors in power chargers, power factor correction circuits and more.

“With our new Toulouse Center we will scale up activities,” says Frédéric Dupont, president and chief executive of Exagan. “We have a new building and facility with an application development area and I am looking to extend the team, starting with new application engineers and field application engineers.”

As part of the latest Centre, Exagan is working in partnership with CEA Tech and harnessing the research unit's cutting-edge GaN-on-silicon epitaxy equipment for producing diodes and HEMTs. “We have access to this very nice power electronics platform and now have the critical [mass] of expertise, people and equipment to really grow activities here,” says Dupont.

A critical part of these activities will be to hone new GaN architectures while raising power conversion efficiencies in existing topologies. According to Dupont, his company's clear focus right now is on the market and enhancing current topologies, but as he adds: “We will also be developing simpler, more efficient and powerful architectures and really looking at the possibilities that can be achieved with GaN.”

From device to system

While at PCIM, Exagan was showcasing its 650V GaN-on-silicon power transistor, G-FET, as well as its integrated driver and transistor switching system, G-DRIVE. According to Dupont, the GFET combines GaN and silicon in a simple cascode configuration, and can be used with silicon drivers for easier integration.

In contrast, the G-DRIVE system features an integrated driver and transistor in a single package. And as Dupont says: “This is a more complex product but some applications do need a more integrated solution... and we are now sampling to customers.”

With its G-FET, a key focus for Exagan right now is electric vehicle applications including on-board chargers and fast-charging stations, which according to Dupont, demand less integration.

“Our strategy is to use the same platform for consumer and, in the future, automotive markets - this is at 200mm, and is established and proven for manufacturing,” he says.

Fast charging is a further important market for the G-FET, with the device already demonstrated in 65 W USB PD 3.0 power chargers. Meanwhile, the G-DRIVE is set to support power factor correction circuits ranging from 300 W to 1.5 kW for next-generation data centres.

Exagan's Power Solutions Center in Toulouse, France.

Dupont now intends to drive GaN adoption in these markets by delivering a robust product, working with partners to ensure the supply chain is in place and, of course, providing the necessary applications support via its new Centers.

“I think there has been a gap in the market, from having the support to ensuring reliability in the field, but we can really provide solutions,” he says.

“So we have started with Taiwan and Toulouse, and if our customers want to know about GaN, the technology, the product, the implementation and get support for a solution in that application, then they can come to us,” he adds. “We control the technology, manufacturing, reliability and we also have all the expertise for the integration and applications.”

But what about the ever-looming threat of silicon carbide? Cree recently revealed plans to invest a might $1billion in SiC capacity, a huge boon for markets adopting devices based on this rival compound semiconductor.

Dupont isn't flustered. From word go, the chief executive has emphasised that G-FET power transistors can be fabricated in existing 200 mm CMOS wafer fabs, delivering clear cost benefits while easing manufacturing scalability and supply.

“GaN is an open platform in the sense that we are using CMOS fabs... and we can scale very quickly to high volumes,” says Dupont. ““In contrast, I see SiC as a much more closed platform; it's a specific material with supply limitations, and also demands high temperature and complex [fabrication] processes with specific equipment and manufacturing lines.”

“Where silicon is good enough, then fine, silicon will stay, he adds. “But when GaN can provide a boost to silicon in an application, then GaN will always get there. SiC is a very different world.”