Technologie: Infineon investiert mehr als eine Milliarde Euro in Österreich

Infineon, a German chipmaker, is investing over €1.1 billion in Austria to expand its factory in Villach. The company plans to establish a new manufacturing line for GaN-based power chips, as revealed by Infineon CEO Jochen Hanebeck on Tuesday morning. Hanebeck emphasized that this significant investment demonstrates the company's commitment to strengthening Europe's semiconductor ecosystem and enhancing European technological sovereignty.

In the summer, Hanebeck had already opened a €5 billion factory in Dresden. GaN technology is one of Infineon's growth hopes, leading to substantial investments in the business. Three years ago, the CEO acquired GaN-Systems, a Canadian chip designer, for $830 million. Gallium nitride (GaN) stands out from conventional silicon in semiconductors due to its lower energy losses and faster switching speeds, though it is significantly more expensive.

Infineon successfully produced GaN power semiconductors on 300mm wafers for the first time two years ago, which could reduce costs as wafer sizes increase. Currently, GaN chips are produced on 150mm wafers, with the industry transitioning towards 200mm wafers.