onsemi has announced a $115 million acquisition of the Silicon Carbide Junction Field-Effect Transistor (SiC JFET) technology business from Qorvo, which will likely expand its market opportunity by $1.3 billion over the next five years.

The acquisition is expected to complement onsemi's existing EliteSiC power portfolio, enabling the company to meet increasing demands for high energy efficiency and power density in power supply units for AI applications and data centers. Additionally, this move positions onsemi to better address emerging markets such as electric vehicle (EV) battery disconnects and solid-state circuit breakers.

SiC JFETs provide benefits such as lower on-resistance per chip area and compatibility with off-the-shelf drivers, allowing for faster development cycles, reduced energy consumption, and lower overall system costs. This innovation is crucial as AI workloads become more demanding and energy-intensive.

Simon Keeton, group president and general manager of onsemi’s Power Solutions Group, emphasized the strategic importance of this technology, stating it enhances their intelligent power portfolio, which aims to optimize energy consumption and power density.

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and is anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.