An outstanding new manufacturer with both R&D and production - Exclusive interview with Infinity Communication Tech.Inc.(Infinityrf)/Chairman/Mr. Steve Lin

Infinityrf, which is rated as an outstanding new start-up manufacturer by the market, is full of vigor and vitality under the leadership of Chairman Mr. Steve Lin. Because the company has the technical capabilities to vertically integrate the development of gallium nitride and is engaged in the integration of R&D and production. It is different from other manufacturers that only engage in front-end R&D and design, or back-end production and manufacturing. Therefore, the outside world is curious about its business management strategy and how to do it. To be the best and make the company have the key to win?

The management method of knowing people and assigning them well

 Steve Lin, chairman of Infinityrf, said that in order to shorten the research and development process and ensure research and development confidentiality, the company invested in Wellywave Technology in 2022 to obtain the operating rights, and specially hired Dr. Wang Peizhi, the former general manager of ARIMA Optoelectronics, as chairman of Wellywave, taking advantage of Chairman Wang. With experience in LED factories, I can advance to a higher level in chip manufacturing. With the chip design capabilities of  Infinityrf, I can quickly verify the design results, and through process parameter adjustment and feedback, I can cooperate with the correction of design parameters to meet the specifications, shortening the development time. They can be complementary to each other.

As for the management of market development and customer relations, because Infinityrf has the manufacturing capabilities of microwave communication components and power components, it can meet customer needs in terms of quality and performance. The outside world would like to know how the company takes into account the needs of various end customers while integrating Infinityrf's product features?

 Steve Lin pointed out that Infinityrf 's research and development is divided into radio frequency chip design and power chip design, and each has hired professional and senior R&D personnel to lead the team. In terms of radio frequency chips, we have developed wide-band RF gallium nitride transistors in advance. Taking advantage of the wide-band and high-power characteristics, they can be applied to array radars, low-orbit satellites and drone communications, and have been successfully used in military drone jammers; later it was revealed that After visiting 5G system manufacturers to understand their needs, we found that the power amplifiers for the front-end modules of 5G small base stations are all from abroad. Therefore, Infinityrf decided to develop and commercialize narrow-band GaN PA MMIC (gallium nitride single crystal microwave amplifier) ​​to solve customer problems, and develop local supply chains to enhance chip independence capabilities.

 In terms of power chips, through visits to various universities and colleges on practical application products of gallium nitride transistors, we have learned about gallium nitride in low-voltage products. InnoScience has increased its support from the China government and invested huge amounts of money. , the output and price have been rampant, and the CP value is low, but there is an urgent need for high frequency, high voltage, and high power, so the research and development targets are 650V, 1200V, and 1700V high-voltage chips. Currently, it is leading the domestic development of 650V/1200V power chips. , can be used in computer power converters (Adapters), industrial equipment and AI server power supplies. Next, it will move towards 1700V and high-power chips. The application areas will expand to solar energy, electric energy storage systems, commercial electric vehicle charging stations, Commercial air conditioners and industrial welding machines.

Practices to always maintain technological leadership

 In order to maintain its technological leadership, Infinityrf spares no effort in new product development and technological innovation. Steve Lin said that Infinityrf is developing the country's first RF front-end module power amplifier, and by applying for the A+ project and receiving government funding subsidies, it has achieved technological leadership and invested in research and development results. In addition, Infinityrf has also applied to the Science and Technology Bureau for an industry-university cooperation application plan to develop 1200V and 1700V power chips for induction cookers, which can also be expanded to industrial furnace applications.

 When it comes to geopolitical issues, many people mention one world, two systems, and want to know how Infinityrf takes into account the dynamic changes in the global semiconductor market and adjusts market strategies to meet the needs of customers in different regions?

 Steve Lin said that after Trump came to power, the powerful collision between China and the United States will cause a major economic earthquake in various countries, and economically weak countries will have to choose sides. Therefore, many countries and Taiwanese businessmen have withdrawn investment from China, and Taiwan's economy has also benefited from it. However, in the past, the migration of industries overseas has hollowed out many industries. For example, low-end TO series gallium nitride power component packaging, Taiwan could not find a manufacturer that can package it. Instead, it turned to mainland China for OEMs. This deserves the government's attention and reflection.

 In terms of electric power chips, Infinityrf leads the domestic development of 650V and 1200V power components. However, it still encounters difficulties in market application and promotion. Domestic power supply foundries must be authorized by the original factory. Domestic computer manufacturers such as Acer, Asus, Gigabyte, etc. In terms of cost considerations, power products that still use low-efficiency MOSFETs or Chinese gallium nitride power components, need government policy support to improve product visibility before they have the opportunity to be promoted internationally; Steve Lin made the above explanation.

 The company pointed out that in terms of RF chips, China and European and American countries have taken a significant lead. China can only speed up and catch up to solve the urgent needs of domestic system manufacturers and improve the autonomy of commercial 5G amplifiers. In addition, military RF chips are completely monopolized by large foreign manufacturers. Infinityrf is working hard to develop domestic independent chips, which have been successfully used in drone jammers on ships to enhance the overall resilience of national security.

Experience accumulated in different fields

 Steve Lin has many years of industrial experience at D-Link, a major network communications company. How can he transfer his experience to the development of compound semiconductor-related products? What was his process of changing his mind? He said that because D-Link ranks first in global layout, if GaN is first used to replace the power adapter using Si in net comm. products such as wifi router power adapters, the power efficiency can be increased by 3%, which means it can reach 92%, which is more in line with ESG requirements!

 In addition, D-Link is also world-renowned in PoE switches and network switches. Currently, Infinityrf is also committed to converting the most important PSU from Si to GaN design, which will also improve power efficiency. If it can be transparently Through the promotion of D-Link’s global channels, GaN HEMTs made in Taiwan will surely advance around the world!

 Steve Lin said that in terms of 5G telecommunications services, Taiwan's application of 5G private networks is already very mature, but it mainly uses Nokia or Ericsson's small base stations to operate. However, because the most important RF PA and DPD (digital predistortion) ), still relies on foreign products, so the price is still too high, so the company hopes to cooperate with the Information Communications Institute to complete the verification test of 5W, outdoor 5G small base stations, and then sell them to local telecommunications services through D-Link Technology’s global branches Company, this is the biggest breakthrough!

By the way, Infinityrf hopes that Chunghwa Telecom can provide a field and requires Nokia and Ericsson to jointly verify the domestically produced small base stations. If they pass the test, they can work together internationally and have the energy to compete with Huawei. !

Government Assistance, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development

 At the beginning of its establishment, Easy Access received assistance from the price creation project. Currently, the government is vigorously promoting the five trustworthy industries (next generation communications). The company hopes that the government can provide assistance: the company has the confidence to make high-voltage and high-conversion products. High-efficiency power components can be used in related power products and AI server power supplies. However, after the product is developed, government policy assistance is needed to allow domestic manufacturers to use a certain proportion of domestic power components to increase product visibility. Otherwise, manufacturers will spend high amounts of money. It is a pity that the products we developed were lost in the shallow bay at the mouth of the sea. The same goes for RF chips. It took Infinityrf a year to develop power GaN HEMT before successfully convincing manufacturers to use it in drone jammers.

 In addition to the above, what specific measures does Infinityrf take to promote corporate social responsibility and sustainable development? How does the company balance the needs of economic efficiency and environmental protection? The company stated that corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development have become important issues in today's corporate development, and Infinityrf's specific measures can be carried out from multiple aspects, including the three major categories of environment, society, and governance (ESG).

 First of all, in terms of environmental protection: the company has adopted a number of environmentally friendly measures in the office decoration planning, including the use of green building materials label materials, fully variable frequency environmentally friendly refrigerant air conditioners, and LED energy-saving lamps to implement environmental friendliness through energy saving and carbon reduction actions. Make office conventions, turn off the lights, set the air-conditioning temperature in summer, and sort garbage. Infinityrf's development of gallium nitride RF and power components is itself a concrete action to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. Gallium nitride's high-efficiency energy conversion rate can reduce energy consumption by 3~5%. If the national power supply is replaced by gallium nitride power components The product may be able to reduce the electricity consumption of a Taichung thermal power plant.

 In terms of social responsibility: the company provides fair wages, suitable talents and appropriate workloads to help colleagues develop their strengths, gain a sense of accomplishment at work, increase work efficiency, relatively reduce the occurrence of overtime, and educate colleagues to ensure a safe working environment. Building a local supply chain can increase employment opportunities, enhance national productivity, and fulfill our social responsibilities.

 As for corporate governance: encourage diversity and inclusion, respect and accept diverse employees. The company encourages employees with different backgrounds and characteristics to express different perspectives and views. Increase the participation of women and middle-aged and elderly people and provide equal employment opportunities.

 Steve Lin concluded by saying that establishing a sound corporate culture emphasizes integrity, transparency and fairness. Establish internal audit mechanisms to ensure compliance and ethical standards. Promoting CSR and sustainable development is a long-term commitment, and companies need to formulate and implement appropriate strategies based on their own industry characteristics, resource capabilities, and stakeholder expectations. This will not only enhance the brand image, but also contribute to long-term competitiveness and risk management.