ROHM and LEADRIVE Partner and Create a Joint Laboratory for Developing and Testing SiC Technology

ROHM semiconductor and high-tech start-up, Leadrive Technology (LEADRIVE), recently announced their partnership and unveiled their joint silicon carbide (SiC) technology laboratory. 

The unveiling of the laboratory was held in the Pilot Free Trade Zone within Shanghai, China (Lingang New Area). 

Moving toward SiC-powered technology in the power electronics space is becoming more and more evident when looking across industrial, consumer, aerospace, energy industries, and more. SiC-based technologies are said to have larger bandgaps, higher breakdown electric field, and higher thermal conductivity. 

 

Dr. Jie Shen shaking hands with Shinya Kubota, Managing Director of ROHM Semiconductor at the opening ceremony for their joint laboratory. Image courtesy of ROHM.

 

“The adoption of power modules that integrate SiC chips for new energy vehicles will become an industry trend over the next couple of years. Commercializing mature SiC-equipped devices by collecting resources from around the world and carrying out R&D gives us a competitive edge as an automotive Tier 1 manufacturer,” said Dr. Jie Shen, Chairman and General Manager at LEADRIVE in a recent news release. 

Both Dr. Shen and Mr. Shinya Kubota, Division Manager of ROHM, led the opening ceremony for the announcement of the joint laboratory. 

 

Behind the Partnership

Before the commencement of their joint venture into the world of SiC, both ROHM and LEADRIVE had been working in collaboration since 2017. LEADRIVE conducts cutting-edge R&D for high-performance, low-cost products including power modules that use advanced semiconductors and power solutions with motors and inverters for new energy vehicles. The company has over 10 years of experience in this arena and over 100 international patents.

The basis of the joint laboratory consists of the mutual agreement to utilize ROHM’s SiC MOSFET bare chips and isolated gate drivers to construct automotive power modules and inverters with an edge. 

As a world-leading manufacturer of SiC chips, ROHM is driven to encourage the application of automotive-grade SiC products. LEADRIVE’s expertise in SiC applied research coupled with ROHM’s track record in providing state-of-the-art SiC-powered solutions will be a powerful combination for the creative development of new solutions for electrical vehicle applications.

 

SiC technology experts come together at the Shanghai ceremony to exchange ideas and resources. Image used courtesy of LEADRIVE

 

Laboratory Equipment Handover and Technology Seminar

At the ceremony in Shanghai, ROHM brought the world's latest generation of SiC, oscilloscopes, and other important materials to the laboratory. 

Following introductions and sharing in the excitement of the new venture together, attendees from both ROHM and LEADRIVE moved to the lecture hall of Lin-Gang Special Area Administration for the SiC Technology Seminar. There, all participants exchanged their thoughts, ideas, and aspirations centered on the overarching goal of creating a powerful SiC solution to evolve the future of the electric vehicle market and push forward the application and commercialization of SiC technology.

 

About ROHM

Founded in 1958, ROHM provides LSI and discrete semiconductors characterized by outstanding quality and reliability for a broad range of markets, including automotive, industrial and consumer market via its global development and sales network. In the analog power field, ROHM proposes the suitable solution for each application with power devices such as SiC, driver ICs to maximize their performance, and peripheral components such as transistors, diodes and resistors.