A new round of energy crisis is becoming the number one global economic problem. At the end of May 2022, IEA officials pointed out that the world is facing triple crises of oil, natural gas and electricity at the same time. China has also formally put forward the strategic goal of 2030 carbon peak and 2060 carbon neutralization to achieve the double carbon goal, which is a systematic project. One of the important measures is to vigorously develop new energy and achieve the goal of energy conservation and emission reduction through the effective supply of new energy. This is also one of the core tasks of the new round of technological revolution.
With the rapid development of the new energy industry under the dual-carbon goal, the power semiconductor industry, led by the third generation semiconductor power devices, is rising rapidly. TrendForce Jibang Consulting predicts that the third-generation semiconductor silicon carbide / gallium nitride power market will reach US $4.71 billion in 2025, compared with US $730 million in 2020. CAGR is 45%.
The high growth of the third generation semiconductors brings testing challenges at the same time
Silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices with their unique advantages, quickly enter the consumer electronics, electric vehicles and industrial fields, ushering in the market doubling and capacity expansion. But at the same time, new materials, new devices and new features also bring new challenges to the design, production and use of power devices.
When designing and producing this new device, R & D engineers need to have a full understanding of the device characteristics, including more complex parameter testing and device reliability research. When the application engineers enjoy the advantages of high switching speed and high power density brought by the new devices, they also need to face higher power circuit design requirements and long-term reliability problems caused by crosstalk and parameter drift.
In the process of device testing, customers not only need to invest a lot of money to purchase equipment, but also need to be equipped with experienced professional testers to operate; at the same time, because the testing standards of the third-generation semiconductor power devices have not yet been unified, each customer may form unique testing requirements and need to develop special circuits, accessories and fixtures to assist testing. All these make the characterization of the third generation semiconductor power devices tedious and complex, and have a very high technical threshold.
Tektronix Advanced Semiconductor Open Laboratory established
In order to help the industry cope with the above common challenges, Tektronix Technology recently established the Tektronix Advanced Semiconductor Open Laboratory (TEK Advance Semiconductor Open Lab) in Beijing. According to reports, this is the country’s first enterprise-level third-generation semiconductor power device testing service laboratory. The open laboratory takes Tektronix test equipment as the core, combined with Tektronix’s rich experience in the global third-generation semiconductor industry, and works together with domestic front-line partners to accelerate the innovation and development, process optimization and yield improvement of China’s third-generation semiconductor industry, so that engineers can work more efficiently and confidently.
According to Tektronix, the Tektronix Advanced Semiconductor Open Laboratory brings together parameter testing solutions and new reliability testing schemes for power semiconductor devices / modules jointly developed by Tektronix and domestic program partners. laboratory testing capabilities cover a wide range of technologies, from traditional silicon-based devices to third-and-a-half power devices, high voltage to low voltage, devices to modules. Have one-stop, omni-directional characteristic testing and characterization ability.
In addition, Tektronix Power Devices Open Lab has the ability of remote access and online live broadcast, which can access and view the testing process at any time to help users understand the experimental operation method and testing process. The experimental data strictly follow the management process, provide one-to-one to designated customers, and provide data interpretation and analysis services. The laboratory will irregularly carry out online technical exchanges, testing explanations and other services, combined with Tektronix and third-party manufacturers’ technical experience to provide customers with high-quality, high-quality testing services.
The practice and Witness of localized Independent Innovation
When talking about the reason for the establishment of the “Tektronix Advanced Semiconductor Open Laboratory”, Song Lei, general manager of Tektronix’s distribution business in China, said that Tektronix has been engaged in semiconductor testing for many years, and is also an early member of the third-generation semiconductor standards committee of the International Association for Electronic Engineering Design and Development (JEDEC). In the process of long-term communication and cooperation with global customers, Tektronix has not only provided customers with a large number of reliable performance. Excellent testing and measurement tools, but also a deep understanding of the complex problems that customers may encounter in the testing process.
Through close cooperation with a large number of third-party manufacturers, Tektronix continues to combine its own products with new testing requirements to provide customers with more comprehensive, efficient and advanced testing solutions. At the same time, it also brings new industry standards and testing methods at home and abroad to customers. It is precisely in order to help customers solve testing problems faster, Tektronix has set up a power semiconductor testing laboratory in Beijing.
Xiang Jiaying, director of Tektronix’s China Marketing Department, said that in the new round of scientific and technological revolution, semiconductors, chips, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and intelligent hardware are all developing at a high speed, all of which have brought new opportunities and challenges. Localization and independent innovation has always been the core and spirit of Tektronix. The establishment of Tektronix Power Devices Open Laboratory is that Tektronix takes root in China, closely follows the latest technological hotspots, and leads the practice and witness of localized independent innovation solutions.
It has been revealed that Tektronix’s first 10 million-level semiconductor device testing laboratory will provide on-site technical guidance to solve the problems of static and dynamic parameters of SiC and GaN devices and modules, as well as accurate testing and evaluation at the application level.
