Texas Instruments is upgrading its gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si) production process, moving from 6 inches (150mm) to 8 inches (200mm) to enhance capacity and cost-efficiency. The shift involves transitioning from 6-inch to 8-inch and from 8-inch to 12-inch production processes to boost operational effectiveness. This scaling up allows for increased semiconductor output, with 8-inch wafers offering 1.78 times the area of 6-inch wafers, and 12-inch wafers providing 2.25 times the area of 8-inch wafers.
In a recent interview, Ju-Yong Shin, TI Korea's director, highlighted the increasing competitiveness of GaN semiconductors compared to silicon carbide (SiC), as TI builds 8-inch fabrication facilities in Dallas, Aizu, Japan, and elsewhere. The forthcoming solutions are expected to be notably more cost-effective.
Texas Instruments plans to transition its Dallas factory from a 6-inch to an 8-inch process by 2025, while also converting existing silicon-based 8-inch production lines in Aizu to GaN semiconductor production. The exact timeline for the Aizu facility's transformation has not been disclosed.
Industry experts anticipate that TI's manufacturing upgrades will lead to cost reductions for GaN semiconductors. The switch to an 8-inch production process is projected to cut production expenses by more than 10%. Additionally, if TI shifts its power management integrated circuit (PMIC) production from 8-inch to 12-inch processes, it could drive price decreases across the industry.
