Rohm partners with Aixtron to scale in-house GaN
Aixtron has announced a production partnership with Rohm Semiconductor in which Rohm has chosen Aixtron's G10-GaN deposition system to establish in-house GaN epitaxy at its Hamamatsu plant in Japan. The system is currently ramping for volume production of 8-inch GaN epitaxial wafers for 650 V and 100 V power device platforms.
Rohm's EcoGaN product family – including 650V GaN HEMTs for server power supplies, onboard chargers, and DC-DC converters – addresses high-growth applications in AI data centre infrastructure and EV powertrains. Rohm’s 100V product line targets growing demand for high-efficiency voltage regulation modules (VRMs) used in AI accelerators and GPU-based computing platforms, where power density, efficiency and thermal management are key requirements.
Until now, Rohm relied on external foundry manufacturing for its 650V GaN devices. By bringing GaN epitaxy in-house, Rohm is taking an important step toward greater control over a critical part of the device manufacturing process. The installation of Aixtron's G10-GaN system at the Hamamatsu plant supports Rohm’s transition toward vertical integration and the ability to scale production for next-gen power semiconductor applications.
"Aixtron's G10-GaN system represents the ideal combination of proven technology, scalability, and partnership approach that Rohm requires to lead in GaN power devices," said Yasushi Hamazawa, executive officer at Rohm Semiconductor. "In addition to possessing world-leading epitaxial growth technology and pursuing continuous development, Aixtron actively engages with us on process optimisation and long-term roadmap alignment. This collaboration will be instrumental in strengthening our product competitiveness and meeting the increasingly demanding performance requirements of AI and automotive customers."
Felix Grawert, CEO of Aixtron said: "Rohm's decision to insource GaN epitaxy on our G10-GaN platform reflects a pivotal shift in how leading device manufacturers are securing their compound semiconductor supply chains. Our partnership with Rohm combines Aixtron's process expertise with Rohm's proven device technology – together, we are accelerating the mainstream adoption of GaN power electronics."
