ROHM & Toshiba Collaboration
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has acknowledged and will support ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation’s plan to work together in the manufacture and increased volume production of power devices as a step toward assisting the Japanese government in achieving its goal of a secure and stable semiconductor supply. Silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) power devices will be heavily invested in by ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage, respectively. They will also effectively improve their supply capabilities and leverage the production capacity of other parties in a complementary manner.
Power devices are necessary parts for creating a carbon-free, carbon-neutral society as well as for supplying and controlling power in all types of electronic equipment. It is anticipated that current demand will continue to rise. Alongside the explosive rise in vehicle electrification, advances have been made in the creation of smaller, lighter, and more efficient electric powertrains for automotive applications. Stable power supply and enhanced features are essential in industrial applications to accommodate growing automation and more stringent efficiency standards.
In light of this, ROHM has expedited its attempts to become carbon-free and developed a management strategy that reads, “They focus on power and analog solutions and solve social problems by contributing to they customers’ needs for energy savings and miniaturization of their products.” Energy savings are mostly dependent on SiC power devices.
Ever since SiC MOSFETs were produced in large quantities for the first time, ROHM has been at the forefront of technological advancement. These include the most recent 4th Generation SiC MOSFETs from ROHM, which are slated to be used in a variety of industrial and electric car applications. Working on the SiC business, which involves aggressive and ongoing investment to improve the production capacity of SiC and meet rapid demand growth, is one of ROHM’s top priorities.
With its enduring Basic Commitment of “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba Group seeks to promote the development of a circular economy and carbon neutrality. Si power devices, mostly for the automotive and industrial applications, have been supplied by Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage for many years, aiding in the development of energy-saving technologies and the downsizing of equipment.
In order to boost production capacity and keep up with the rapid growth in demand, the company is increasing investment. Production on a 300mm wafer line was launched last year. By fully utilizing the knowledge it has developed in railway vehicle applications, it is also furthering the development of a wider range of SiC power devices, particularly for automotive and power transmission and distribution applications.
Although ROHM had previously declared its involvement in Toshiba’s privatization, the two firms’ production cooperation did not begin with this investment. For a while now, ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage have been thinking about working together in the power device market due to the escalating global competitiveness in the semiconductor industry. This has led to the joint application.
In order to increase both businesses’ global competitiveness, ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage will work together to manufacture power devices through significant investments in SiC and Si power devices, respectively. Additionally, the corporations aim to bolster the robustness of Japan’s semiconductor supply chains.
