LEOBEN, AUSTRIA – Over the next four years, the GaNonCMOS project consortium intends to develop cost‑effective and reliable GaN-based processes, components, modules and integration approaches. In particular, the project aims to exploit the energy-efficiency advantages of GaN (gallium nitride), targeting the production of several demonstrators with GaN power switches and CMOS drivers, as well as new magnetic core materials that will enable switching frequencies up to 200MHz.

Together with optimized embedded PCB technology, the developments are expected to lead to new integrated power components for low-cost, high-reliability systems.

The project consists of AT&S, University of Leuven, Epigan, Fraunhofer, IBM Research, IHP, Tyndall National Institute, PNO Innovation, Recom, NXP Semiconductors and X-FAB Semiconductor.

The Panel-Level Packaging Consortium has also been formed, with Fraunhofer IZM as the development hub. The plan is to implement fan-out panel-level packaging. During the consortium’s two-year term, known technological elements in wafer-level packaging will be transferred to a large panel format. The technological basis for FOPLP is a reconfigured, molded panel with embedded components and a thin-film redistribution layer, which yield an SMD-compatible package.

The consortium includes Intel, ASM Pacific, Hitachi Chemical, AT&S, Evatec, Nanium, Süss MicroTec, Unimicron, Brewer Science, Fujifilm Electronic Materials USA, ShinEtsu, Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello and Semsysco.