NXP's new 6-inch GaN wafer fab completed in the US

NXP Semiconductors recently announced the opening of its 6-inch RF-GaN wafer fab in Chandler, Arizona, which is one of the most advanced 5G RF power amplifier fabs in the United States.

Combined with NXP’s expertise in RF power and high-volume production, the new facility supports the expansion of 5G base stations and advanced communications infrastructure for the industrial, aerospace and defense markets.

The virtual opening ceremony included speeches by NXP executives as well as Arizona government officials, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce and the Ambassador of the Netherlands to the United States.

“Today is an important milestone for NXP,” said NXP CEO Kurt Sievers during his keynote. “By building this facility and developing key talent in Arizona, we are able to focus on GaN technology as part of driving the next generation of 5G base station infrastructure.”

NXP points out that with the development of 5G technology, the density of RF solutions required for each antenna is increasing exponentially, but the size must remain the same and power consumption must be reduced. To solve these conflicts, GaN power transistors appear because they provide significant improvements in both power density and efficiency.

NXP believes that nearly 20 years of experience in GaN development and knowledge of the wireless communications industry puts it in a good position to expand the 5G network market. The company said it has optimized GaN technology to improve electron capture in the semiconductor, providing high efficiency and best-in-class linearity gain.

“Power amplifiers play a critical role in radio technology,” said Joakim Sorelius, Head of Development Unit Networks. “Similar to Ericsson’s recent investments in the U.S., we are pleased to see NXP’s investments in U.S. semiconductor processes and continued focus on improving the performance of RF systems for the demanding wireless networks of the future.”

NXP said its strategic move to build an in-house GaN fab was driven by its ability to leverage its core competency in cellular network infrastructure design, its track record in volume manufacturing and the consistency of its quality processes to achieve greater performance benefits.

“The new facility highlights NXP’s decades-long commitment to GaN and the communications infrastructure markets,” said Paul Hart, executive vice president and general manager of RF Power at NXP, adding that the new RF GaN factory “is ready to scale to 6-inch levels and beyond.”

The facility will grow rapidly, leveraging NXP's Chandler-based team and its long-standing expertise in compound semiconductor manufacturing.

“This new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chandler will expand Arizona’s reputation as a high-tech manufacturing hub and a pioneer in 5G innovation,” said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.

The factory will serve as an innovation hub, fostering collaboration between the factory and NXP’s on-site R&D teams. It is estimated that NXP engineers can now more quickly develop, validate and protect inventions for current and future generations of GaN devices, thereby reducing the cycle time for NXP GaN innovation.

The newly built GaN factory is now qualified, the first products have entered the market, and it is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2020.