Semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies has agreed to acquire the Wolfspeed Power and RF division of LED manufacturer Cree, for $850 million. The deal also includes the related silicon carbide wafer substrate business.

Wolfspeed specializes in silicon carbide-based power and gallium nitride-on-silicon carbide-based RF power solutions. The deal also includes related core competencies in wafer substrate manufacturing for SiC, as well as for SiC with a monocrystalline GaN layer for RF power applications.

Power management solutions based on compound semiconductors have several advantages over traditional materials. Renewable energy and EV applications particularly benefit from the technology’s increased power density and improved efficiency.

“Wolfspeed’s and Infineon’s businesses and expertise are highly complementary,” said Infineon CEO Dr. Reinhard Ploss. “With Wolfspeed we will become number one in SiC-based power semiconductors. We also want to become number one in RF power.”

“Wolfspeed will now be able to more aggressively commercialize its unique silicon carbide and gallium nitride technology as part of Infineon,” said Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda.

RELATED: Wolfspeed introduces all-SiC half-bridge power module and gate driver combination

Source: Infineon