Navitas wins Frost & Sullivan Innovation award
Recognises company for its vision and system-level approach to enabling next-generation GaN-based power electronics systems
Based on its recent analysis of the global GaN chip market, Frost & Sullivan has recognised Navitas Semiconductor with the 2019 Global Technology Innovation Award for its GaNFast power ICs.
The company uses proprietary GaN technology to address challenges such as integration and packaging, manufacturing capability, and voltage and switching issues, which are inherent in the legacy, silicon-dominated semiconductor industry.
"Navitas' power ICs address system and application-level concerns relating to power electronic circuits incorporated with GaN. Instead of delivering a stand-alone discrete product, Navitas developed GaN into a system-based solution; this vision resulted in the unique GaNFast power ICs," said Sushrutha Katta Sadashiva, Senior Research Analyst. "By leveraging its proprietary platform, Navitas achieved monolithic integration of GaN FETs with GaN drivers and other mixed-signal circuits. Navitas has embedded analog, logic, and power circuits into a single package, thereby enabling the entire system to be faster, simpler, smaller and more energy efficient than existing offerings."
Navitas GaNFast power ICs are fabricated on 6-inch eMode (enhancement mode) GaN-on-Si wafers. The company follows a fabless model for developing its products, which encourages third-party semiconductor manufacturers to venture into the GaN domain. Through manufacturing partnerships with TSMC and Amkor, Navitas has been able to scale to high-volume production of its GaN power ICs. In addition, it has partnered with component manufacturers such as TDK and Hitachi in order to create miniaturised transformers that can work along with the GaNFast power ICs.
Navitas has developed power ICs with voltages ranging from 200V to 1,200V in half-bridge topologies suitable for consumer electronics, communication, automobiles, energy, and other industries where power electronics are widely used. In renewable energy, Navitas' GaNFast power ICs can be embedded in solar micro-inverters to significantly reduce operating costs and increase productivity.
"We're honoured to receive this global technology innovation award," replied Gene Sheridan, Navitas CEO and Co-Founder. "GaN ICs that integrate power, analog & digital circuits are enabling dramatic improvements to next-generation power systems and we're pleased that Navitas and this exciting technology has been recognised for its industry impact."
"Navitas sets the benchmark for companies planning to venture into the GaN power IC semiconductor market, and will significantly influence the growth of power-efficient and compact electronic devices in the near future," noted Sushrutha Katta Sadashiva. "Navitas' thought leadership will accelerate the market penetration of GaN through the company's pioneering GaNFast power ICs, which aligns with its vision to lead the high-speed revolution in power electronics."
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a product with innovative features and functionalities that is gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognises the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
