Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies has announced that it has achieved the stated goal of 1200V rating on vertical GaN power field-effect transistors (FETs)

Odyssey Semiconductor Technologies, a semiconductor device company developing novel high-voltage power switching components based on proprietary gallium nitride (GaN) processing technology, has announced that it has achieved the stated goal of 1200V rating on vertical GaN power field-effect transistors (FETs). The company will begin using this tested technology to create product samples in Q4 2022 for scheduled Q1 2023 customer and internal evaluations.

With a high breakdown voltage (more than 10 times that of silicon), and a die structure in which electricity flows vertically to the device substrate, GaN with vertical structure allows thinner and smaller device with superior performance. Additionally, a vertical structure makes it possible to reduce switching loss and make semiconductors smaller because the entire chip is involved in the current flow. With a vertical structure, GaN FETs can operate at higher frequencies, with low resistance, and high breakdown voltage.

The company is on track to build Gen1 product samples of 650V and 1200V power devices in Q4 2022, while the commitments from three customers for product evaluation have already been secured, starting from Q1 2023. To confirm additional clients for product samples, customer interaction is being widened.

The validated process currently used for product samples manufacturing is planned for completion in Q4 2022.

Both 650V and 1200V power devices achieve figures of merit which ensure industry-leading efficiency with low on-resistance at high switching frequencies, thus enabling solutions with reduced footprint.

By exploiting a vertical structure, Odyssey has been able to achieve voltages that lateral GaN can’t practically reach, while silicon and silicon carbide could provide that performance level only at unaittanable costs.

The company, which is based in Ithaca, New York, owns and runs a 10,000 square foot semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility that includes a combination of class 1,000 and class 10,000 clean space as well as equipment for cutting-edge semiconductor development and production. Thanks to its own foundry in Ithaca, Odissey can quickly innovate and meet the rising market demand for 650V and 1200V power devices.