Navitas Announces Plans for 200mm GaN Production with PSMC
Navitas Semiconductor, the industry leader in next-generation GaNFast™ gallium nitride (GaN) and GeneSiC™ silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors, announced a strategic partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC or Powerchip), to start production and continue development of best-in-class 200mm GaN-on-silicon technology.
Navitas’ GaN IC portfolio is expected to use Powerchip’s 200mm in Fab 8B, located in Zhunan Science Park, Taiwan. The fab has been operational since 2019 and supports various high-volume manufacturing processes for GaN, ranging from micro-LEDs to RF GaN devices.
Powerchip’s capabilities include an improved 180nm CMOS process, offering smaller and more advanced geometries, which bring improvements in performance, power efficiency, integration, and cost. “200mm GaN-on-silicon production on a 180nm process node enables us to continue innovating higher power density, faster, and more efficient devices while simultaneously improving cost, scale, and manufacturing yields”, said Dr. Sid Sundaresan, SVP of WBG Technology Platforms at Navitas.
Powerchip is expected to manufacture Navitas’ GaN portfolio with voltage ratings from 100V to 650V, supporting the growing demand for GaN for 48V infrastructure, including hyper-scale AI data centers and EVs. Qualification of initial devices is expected in Q4 2025. The 100V family is expected to start production first at Powerchip in 1H26, while the company expects 650V devices will transition from Navitas’ existing supplier, TSMC, to Powerchip over the next 12-24 months.
Navitas recently made several announcements in the AI data center, EV, and solar markets, including its collaboration with NVIDIA to support GaN and SiC technologies for 800V HVDC architectures for 1 MW IT racks and beyond. Enphase announced that its next-generation IQ9 would include Navitas’ 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs, and Changan Automobile announced its first commercial GaN-based OBC (on-board charger) using Navitas’ GaNSafe technology.
Comments
“We are proud to partner with Powerchip to advance high-volume 200 mm GaN-on-silicon production and look forward to driving continued innovation together in the years ahead”, said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas. “Through our partnership with Powerchip, we are well-positioned to drive sustained progress in product performance, technological evolution, and cost efficiency.”
“Powerchip has collaborated with Navitas on GaN-on-Si technology for years, and we’re thrilled to announce that product qualification is nearly complete – bringing us to the verge of mass production”, said Martin Chu, President at Powerchip. “Building on this strong partnership, Powerchip is committed to expanding our cooperation and continuously supporting Navitas in exploring and growing the GaN market.”
About Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation
Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) is a Taiwanese semiconductor foundry that develops, manufactures, and distributes advanced memory components and other integrated circuits. Founded in 1994, PSMC operates multiple 12-inch and 8-inch wafer fabs, offering foundry services, design, manufacturing, and testing services. They are recognized for their expertise in developing and manufacturing a range of semiconductor products, including power integrated circuits, discrete components, and image sensors.