Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2024 - 14

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
EnaChip Pioneers Wafer-Level Magnetics to Power Next-Generation Microdevices
Race-track type of inductor with EnaChip electroplated high-frequency magnetic alloy lamination (3A-6A) is designed to bring new levels of
capability to power management ICs and microelectronic products.
What is EnaChip up to? That's an important question for design
engineers of power electronics systems to ask these days. By
coating specialized magnetic alloys directly onto semiconductor
substrates -- and other innovations, the semiconductor microdevice
company is bringing disruptive technology to the forefront as
it works to commercialize a breakthrough wafer level magnetic
technology platform capable of enabling new classes of electronic
products. We asked Trifon Liakopoulos, co-founder and CEO of
EnaChip, to bring us up to date.
First, it is important to understand a little background about the
company's core technology -- single mask thin film magnetic core
laminations for high performance wafer level magnetics. The concept
has far-reaching implication, notably, enabling affordable integrated
power for every semiconductor chip in a node-agnostic
system that can provide magnetic functionality processed on virtually
any substrate from any foundry including active ICs.
EnaChip's transformative technology is known as Trifecta. Founded
on material innovation, the company focuses on three key areas
-- cutting edge performance magnetics, manufacturing & packaging
innovation and artificial intelligence-enhanced design library
modules. Key factors include proprietary wafer level magnetic materials
that enable high operating frequencies up to 50 MHz, high
resistivity films that require fewer core laminations, high magnetic
saturation and innovative cost-effective fabrication methods. The
system is based on photoresist electroplating of copper windings
14 Magnetics Business & Technology * July/August 2024
and single-mask sequentially plated core laminations.
Standard practice in the semiconductor industry today is to use
sputtered laminated cores, building them layer by layer in a process
where 20 to 40 layers might take 20 hours of process time.
In comparison, EnaChip's continuously electroplated laminated
cores can accomplish the equivalent process in a single layer. The
simpler process means an ultra-fast deposition time that can be
100 times faster, leading to a significant reduction in manufacturing
expenses.
Tunable for target applications,
the company's proprietary
alloys essentially provide
programmable material intelligence,
enabling seamless power
design optimization on any
chip. Its wafer level magnetics
can meet the performance of
discrete components in dramatically
less volume - as much
as 276 times smaller, says the
company.
" We are actively fund-raising now,
and working with strategic partners
and investors. We are operatEnaChip
CEO Trifon Liakopoulos
www.MagneticsMag.com

http://www.MagneticsMag.com

Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2024

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