GaN Systems Inc of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, a fabless producer of gallium nitride (GaN)-based power switching semiconductors for power conversion and control applications, has signed an agreement for Japanese company Daito Electron Co Ltd (Daitron) to distribute its GaN E-HEMT power switches and integrated GaN-on-Si power system products in Japan and Korea.
The firm’s gallium nitride power transistors are based on its proprietary Island Technology and offer what are claimed to be significant advantages over traditional silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs for smaller, lighter and more efficient power electronics. Daitron was selected for its strong presence in the Japanese automotive and industrial sectors, both key markets as GaN devices usher in a new era in power electronics and are poised for widespread adoption, it is reckoned.
The partnership is seen as being synergistic. Many of GaN Systems’ prospective customers in the region already have a relationship with Daitron, which has technical knowledge in applications particularly suited to GaN high-power switching devices, including inverters, UPS (uninterruptible power supplies), hybrid electric vehicles/electric vehicles (HEV/EV) and high-voltage DC-DC conversion. GaN Systems claims to be the first company to have developed and brought to the global market a comprehensive product range of devices with current ratings from 8A to 250A – its Island Technology die design, plus its GaNPX packaging and Drive Assist technology means that its GaN transistors offer a 40-fold improvement in switching and conduction performance over traditional silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs, it is reckoned.
“Gallium nitride devices are recognised to be the future of power electronics, and as our product portfolio is now ready for commercialization, it is both key and timely for us to continue to build our worldwide distribution network,” says president Girvan Patterson.
“Key industries across our region from automotive through industrial and consumer can now access this new core technology and achieve competitive edge by designing GaN Systems’ power transistors into their next-generation products,” comments Daitron corporate officer Shinji Ikutani Sr.
“Daitron is a professional, high-productivity distribution partner with a strong teamwork ethos and a clear understanding of Japanese and Western business cultures,” comments Charles Bailley, GaN Systems’ senior director of Technical Marketing, Asia. “We are working in close cooperation and, based on customer feedback, we forecast significant revenue growth in the region in the consumer, industrial and transportation segments.”
