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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] Samsung Electronics has made strides into the gallium nitride (GaN) foundry market, with a small-scale equipment investment in the second quarter of this year, signaling its intent to enter this emerging sector.
GaN is a next-generation power semiconductor material that offers superior heat and pressure resistance, as well as improved power efficiency compared to traditional silicon. Due to these advantages, demand for GaN is rising across various industries, including IT, telecommunications, and automotive sectors.
Recognizing the growth potential of the GaN power semiconductor industry, Samsung Electronics has been preparing to enter this market. During the "Samsung Foundry Forum 2023" held in Silicon Valley last June, the company announced its plan to launch 8-inch GaN power semiconductor foundry services by 2025, targeting consumer electronics, data centers, and automotive markets.
In line with this plan, Samsung Electronics introduced metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment from Germany's Aixtron at its Giheung plant in the second quarter. The Giheung facility is responsible for the mass production of 8-inch foundry products, which currently dominate the GaN power semiconductor manufacturing process. The plant also houses Samsung's existing facilities dedicated to GaN research and development.
MOCVD technology is crucial for growing thin films using metal-organic precursors, essential for creating GaN wafers on silicon or silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. Currently, the global market for MOCVD equipment for GaN wafers is dominated by two companies, Aixtron and the U.S.-based Veeco, with Aixtron holding a significant market share. Samsung Electronics has previously engaged in discussions with Felix Grawert, CEO of Aixtron, to secure equipment, with a potential investment of 30 to 40 units being discussed at that time.
However, the recent investment by Samsung Electronics is understood to involve the acquisition of only 1-2 units of Aixtron's latest MOCVD equipment. This cautious approach may be due to the company not yet securing a major customer and focusing its capital expenditures on areas like high-bandwidth memory (HBM). As a result, Samsung seems to be strategically pacing its investment in the GaN foundry sector.
AlphaBIZ Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
