Denso Corporation and United Semiconductor Japan (USJC), a subsidiary of global semiconductor foundry United Microelectronics Corporation, have agreed to collaborate on the production of power semiconductors at USJC’s 300mm fab to serve growing demand in the automotive market.
An insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) line will be installed at USJC’s wafer fab, which will be the first in Japan to produce IGBTs on 300mm wafers. Denso will contribute its system-oriented IGBT device and process technologies while USJC will provide its 300mm wafer manufacturing capabilities to bring the 300mm IGBT process into mass production, scheduled to start in the first half of 2023.
“Denso is very glad to be the member of first companies in Japan to start mass production of IGBTs on 300 mm wafers,” said Koji Arima, president of Denso. “Semiconductors are becoming increasingly important in the automotive industry as mobility technologies evolve, including automated driving and electrification. Through this collaboration, we contribute to the stable supply of power semiconductors and electrification of automobiles.”
“We are pleased to have this win-win collaboration with a leading company such as Denso. This is an important project for UMC and will expand our relevance and influence in the automotive segment,” added Jason Wang, co-president of UMC. “With our robust portfolio of advanced specialty technologies and IATF 16949 certified fabs in diversified locations, UMC is well placed to serve demand across auto applications, including advanced driver assistance systems, infotainment, connectivity and powertrain. We look forward to capitalizing on more cooperation opportunities going forward with top players in the automotive space.”