Semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies and semiconductor foundry United Microelectronics (NYSE: UMC), which have worked together for 15 years, plan to extend their manufacturing partnership into power semiconductors for automotive applications.

Infineon will transfer its automotive-qualified Smart Power Technology (SPT9) to UMC, and production will be extended to 300 mm wafers. Production of SPT9 products at UMC’s Taiwan facility is planned for early 2018.

SPT9 is a proprietary 130-nanometer (nm) process technology that combines microcontroller intelligence and power technology on a single die.

“Automotive applications are a key priority for our technology, capacity and customers, and we are pleased to extend our collaboration with Infineon into state-of-the-art power semiconductors for automotive applications,” said Po-Wen Yen, CEO of UMC. “With our strong manufacturing excellence, UMC is capable of meeting the highest-rated Grade 0 automotive industry quality standards.”

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“We trust in UMC to master the demanding automotive obligations of Infineon as an innovative and reliable source providing long-term and stable supply,” says Jochen Hanebeck, President of Infineon’s automotive division. “We are a technology leader in automotive power applications with strong system expertise. With SPT9, Infineon enables power semiconductors of an unmatched level of integration.”

Source: Infineon via Green Car Congress