Infineon establishing first high-volume fab for GaN power semiconductors on 300mm wafers in Europe

Infineon's new facility focuses on gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors, which the company states enable significant efficiency gains in various applications. These range from AI data centers and energy infrastructure to e-mobility, robotics, and consumer electronics. The investment is intended to address a rapidly growing demand for high-performance power supply solutions, suggesting a broader push for more energy-efficient electronics across sectors.

A key aspect of this investment is the use of 300mm wafers for manufacturing. Infineon reports that this larger wafer size allows for the production of 2.3 times as many chips per wafer compared to the smaller 200mm standard. This increase in chip output per wafer is expected to enable more efficient and cost-effective expansion of manufacturing capacity, potentially making GaN technology more accessible for widespread adoption.

The company's CEO, Jochen Hanebeck, indicates that this move will be the first to bring gallium nitride power electronics into volume production globally. This scale of manufacturing on 300mm wafers is presented as a step towards integrating GaN into a wider array of devices, offering the efficiency benefits of the material to a broader market. The initiative is also supported by up to €319m in Austrian state aid under the European Chips Act, highlighting a strategic regional effort to bolster semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.