Infineon introduces the world's thinnest silicon power wafers, pushing the limits of technology and improving energy efficiency

     Following the announcement of the launch of the world's first 300mm gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor wafer and the completion of the world's largest 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor wafer fab in Kulin, Malaysia, Infineon Technologies AG has once again achieved a new milestone in semiconductor manufacturing technology. Infineon has made a breakthrough in the processing and processing of the thinnest silicon power wafers in history, with a diameter of 300㎜ and a thickness of 20μm. A quarter of the thickness of a human hair, yes

     Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies, said: "The world's thinnest silicon wafer demonstrates our commitment to creating extraordinary value for our customers by advancing power semiconductor technology. Infineon's breakthrough in ultra-thin wafer technology marks an important step in the field of energy saving power solutions and helps us to realize the full potential of the global trend toward decarbonization and digitalization. With this technological breakthrough, Infineon has access to three semiconductor materials - Si, SiC and GaN - reinforcing our leading edge in industry innovation."

     This innovation will help significantly improve the energy efficiency, power density and reliability of power conversion solutions for AI data centers, as well as consumer, motor control and computing applications. Halving wafer thickness reduces substrate resistance by 50% compared to traditional silicon wafer-based solutions, resulting in more than 15% less power loss in the power system. For high-end AI server applications, increasing current will drive up energy demand, so reducing the voltage from 230 V to less than 1.8 V processor voltage is particularly important for power conversion. So reducing the voltage from 230 V to less than 1.8 V Processor voltage is particularly important for power conversion. Ultra-thin wafer technology greatly facilitates vertical power transmission design based on vertical channel MOSFET technology. This design enables a highly tight connection to the AI chip processor, increasing overall efficiency while reducing power losses.

     Adam White, President of the Power and Sensing Systems Division at Infineon Technologies, said: "The new ultra-thin wafer technology advances our ambition to power different types of AI server configurations, from the grid to the core, in the most energy-efficient way. Energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important as energy demand for AI data centers rises dramatically. This brings rapid growth opportunities for Infineon. Based on mid - to double-digit growth rates, we expect our AI business revenues to reach €1 billion in the next two years."

     Since the thickness of the metal lamination that holds the chip to the wafer is greater than 20μm, in order to overcome the technical obstacles of reducing the wafer thickness to 20μm, Infineon engineers had to establish an innovative and unique wafer grinding method. This greatly affects the handling and machining of the back of thin wafers. In addition, technical and production-related challenges, such as wafer warping and wafer separation, also have a significant impact on the back-end assembly process that ensures wafer stability and best-in-class robustness. The 20μm thin wafer process is based on Infineon's existing manufacturing technology and ensures that the new technology can be seamlessly integrated into existing high-volume Si production lines without creating additional manufacturing complexity, thus guaranteeing the highest possible yield and security of supply.

     The technology has been recognized and used in Infineon's integrated smart power stages (DC-DC converters) and has been delivered to the first customers. At the same time, the technology also has a strong patent portfolio related to 20 μm wafer technology, reflecting Infineon's innovation leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. With the development of current ultra-thin wafer technology, Infineon predicts that in the next three to four years, existing traditional wafer technology will be replaced by alternative technologies for low-voltage power converters. This breakthrough further strengthens Infineon's unique position in the market. Infineon now has a comprehensive portfolio of products and technologies covering Si, SiC and GaN based devices, which are key drivers of decarbonization and digitization.