Axcelis Technologies Partners with GE Aerospace to Develop Superjunction Power Devices

Axcelis Technologies Inc (ACLS) has announced a joint development program with GE Aerospace to create production-worthy 6.5 to 10kV superjunction power devices using Axcelis' Purion XEmax high energy implanter. This collaboration supports the "Advanced High Voltage Silicon Carbide Switches" project under the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS) Hub. The partnership could accelerate the adoption of superjunction technology and enhance Axcelis' market share in the semiconductor industry.

Axcelis Technologies Inc. (ACLS) has announced a joint development program (JDP) with GE Aerospace to create production-worthy 6.5 to 10kV superjunction power devices using Axcelis' Purion XEmax high energy implanter. This collaboration supports the "Advanced High Voltage Silicon Carbide Switches" project under the Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors (CLAWS) Hub. The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of superjunction technology and enhance Axcelis' market share in the semiconductor industry.

The JDP focuses on developing processes for superjunction power devices on Axcelis' Purion XEmax, which offers the industry's highest beam currents over a broad energy range, up to 15MeV. This technology supports GE Aerospace's efforts to advance high-voltage Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices, which are crucial for emerging applications in aerospace, defense, and commercial sectors.

SiC wide bandgap semiconductors offer higher voltages, operating temperatures, and frequencies compared to traditional Silicon (Si) devices. These advancements enable reduced power consumption and smaller packaging of critical systems, making them ideal for applications in the aerospace and defense sector. On the commercial side, high-voltage wide bandgap semiconductors are expected to play a significant role in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, and a more resilient power grid.

Axcelis' Purion XEmax provides maximum flexibility in energy ranges, enabling a more cost-effective approach by reducing the number of application steps. GE Aerospace, through its Research Center in Niskayuna, NY, has built a strong IP portfolio in SiC technologies over more than three decades and sells SiC-based electric power products to support the avionics and electrical systems aboard commercial aircraft and ground vehicles. More recently, GE Aerospace researchers have been focusing on SiC developments for extreme environments such as hypersonic vehicles, space travel, and electric propulsion.

The JDP is part of the CLAWS Hub, which is spearheaded by North Carolina State University. This initiative aims to improve the performance of power switches used in important emerging applications, supporting GE Aerospace's broader goal of advancing SiC technologies for future flight operations in extreme environments.

References:

[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/axcelis-technologies-inc-announces-joint-development-program-with-ge-aerospace-for-the-development-ce7c51d2df8bf320
[2] https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/acls-ge-partner-advance-high-143600159.html
[3] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/axcelis-announces-joint-development-program-with-ge-aerospace-for-the-development-of-high-voltage-superjunction-power-devices-302533766.html