Infineon has officially launched 'Moore4Power', a significant power electronics R&D consortium that marks a strategic pivot for the European semiconductor industry.
This €91 million project, supported by the EU's Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU), brings together 62 partners from 15 countries. Its core mission is to shift the focus of innovation away from the traditional Moore's Law, which centers on shrinking transistors, toward a new paradigm of 'system intelligence'. The goal is to integrate different semiconductor materials like silicon, silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) along with sensing and control functions into a single, optimized system. By using a power chiplet architecture, the project aims to enhance scalability and cost-competitiveness.
This initiative is not happening in a vacuum; it’s the result of three powerful forces converging. First is the EU's industrial policy and its quest for technological sovereignty. The EU Chips Act has already laid the groundwork by designating facilities in Dresden as key production sites. 'Moore4Power' builds on this framework, directing public funds toward system-level R&D to strengthen Europe's competitive edge and secure its supply chains.
Second, there is surging demand from electrification and grid modernization. The market share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the EU continues to climb, and the power demands of AI data centers and renewable energy grids are expanding rapidly. In this context, improving the efficiency of power electronics is no longer just a technical goal; it directly translates into lower system costs and reduced carbon emissions, addressing critical infrastructure needs.
Third, the competitive landscape of the semiconductor industry itself is changing. The market for SiC, a key next-generation material, is currently facing oversupply and price pressure. This environment pushes companies to differentiate not just on the performance of individual components, but on the 'integrated system value' they can offer. 'Moore4Power's design philosophy aligns perfectly with this need, aiming to create holistic solutions that are more than the sum of their parts.
In essence, the 'Moore4Power' consortium is more than just a research project. It represents a calculated response to converging policy goals, market demands, and competitive pressures, positioning system-level integration as the new frontier for innovation in European power electronics.
- Chips JU (Chips Joint Undertaking): The main implementing body for the EU Chips Act, managing R&D funding and programs to strengthen Europe's semiconductor ecosystem.
- Heterogeneous Integration: The process of combining different types of semiconductor materials and components (e.g., silicon, SiC, GaN) into a single package or system to achieve better performance and efficiency.
- Chiplet: A small, modular integrated circuit designed to be combined with other chiplets to form a larger, more complex system. This approach offers greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness than building a single large chip.