Magnachip Introduces New Generation Low-Voltage MOSFET for Battery Protection Circuit Modules in Smartphones

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Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation announced that the company has launched new generation Low-Voltage Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (LV MOSFETs) featuring lower Rss(on) for battery Protection Circuit Modules (PCMs) in smartphones.

As demand for high-end 5G and LTE smartphones increases, extended battery life and strengthened protection features for batteries are becoming important. 5G phones, in particular, need long-lasting batteries with high endurance to process the large amount of data for fast download and upload. Magnachip developed the new generation LV MOSFETs with advanced overvoltage and overcurrent protection features to extend battery life and reduce overheating issues. Magnachip began mass production of this new 6.5th generation (6.5G) product last month and it is being used in a new 2022 flagship model from one of the world's largest smartphone manufacturers.

The Rss(on) of this new 6.5G product is 20% lower than the previous version with the same chip size to reduce current loss and improve heat dissipation. This lower Rss(on) controls a high power density above 25W to prevent a battery from overheating and protect the PCM while the battery is being fast-charged. Also, PCM functionality has been greatly enhanced by an upgraded Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection diode. This diode mitigates a maximum of 2kV, based on the human-body model, of ESD to strengthen circuit protection and prevent damage to other smartphone components. Along with this powerful battery protection, the size of chip was significantly reduced to better meet the requirements of new smartphone models.

According to Omdia, a market research firm, the global smartphone market will grow 6.3%, with more than 1.4 billion units sold in 2022. The wireless earphone market is also rapidly growing, which will further drive up the demand for LV MOSFETs. Magnachip has sold more than 1.3 billion units of LV MOSFETs in the last 10 years and more than 900 million units of MOSFETs for battery PCMs. Leveraging its industry-leading technological know-how and business expertise, the company plans to reinforce its market leadership commensurate with the growth of the high-end 5G smartphone market.

"Despite the current global chip shortage, we are confident that we can maintain a strong supplier capability for our customers as an integrated device manufacturer for these new 6.5G products," said YJ Kim, CEO of Magnachip. "We will continue to maintain a close rapport with our existing customers and expand our presence in the global market at the same time."