Silicon Power Corporation, headquartered in Chester County, Pennsylvania, is a globally recognized technology solutions company providing design, development, testing, and manufacturing of high-power semiconductor devices, high-power pulsed-power modules and, high-power utility-applicable systems for government and industry. Silicon Power Corporation (SPCO) announces its acquisition of New York based Applied Pulsed Power (APP), a vertically integrated American manufacturer of reliable, robust pulsed-power systems, to compliment and expand upon SPCO competencies.
Silicon Power Corporation’s wide-range offering of products and systems are applicable to high-reliability medical, avionics, aerospace, defense, munitions, communications, magnetic forming, and transportation technology requirements. The SPCO Pulse Power Modules have achieved recognition as a reliable component-level solid-state switchgear solution to meet the emerging global demand for the management and integration of electrical energy, generated from renewable energy resources into the grid level transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“We are honored to welcome APP into the Silicon Power Corporation family,” said Dr. Harshad Mehta, President and CEO of Silicon Power Corporation. “APP’s pristine reputation for designing and manufacturing superior high-speed, high-voltage, high-current solid-state pulsed power systems compliments Silicon Powers’ existing offering of power modules and utility grade switchgear. Silicon Power will leverage APP’s established market presence and global network to provide clients with unmatched solid-state equipment capability and system-level development know-how”
About Silicon Power Corporation
Under the leadership of Dr. Harshad Mehta, the Company’s president and founder, Silicon Power Corporation, a former division of General Electric Inc., has developed and perfected the SolidTRON® SGTO® Solid-State device; a ‘Keystone Building Block’ to support continuous development of high-performance, solid-state components, modules and systems to meet commercial, industrial, defense and national power applications.
Business Activities
The Company has three core business-revenue segments:
• Operations under the SolidTRON® moniker, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and test two distinct SolidTRON® devices; Voltage Controlled (VCS) and current Controlled (CCS), from its Malvern, PA location
• The design, manufacturer and testing of a comprehensive offering of high-power, solid-state, modular distribution switchgear fully compliant to all voltage classes; urban, suburban, industrial, and utility/grid scale applications, also at the Company’s Malvern, PA location
• The Company’s R&D group, located in Clifton Park, NY provides New Product Development (NPD) and New Product Introduction (NPI) to meet the ever-changing requirements of industry and defense, and its costs are funded in part by ongoing cooperative development agreements with the Dept of Defense.
Applied Pulsed Power (APP)
APP began its existence developing a prototype compact point source x-ray source for micro-lithography with DARPA funding. In 1992 APP began a multi-year collaboration with Cornell University and Sandia National Laboratories for the development of Ion Beam Surface Treatment (IBEST) technology for industrial surface treatment.
APP’s MAP ion diode system is the heart of a unique, high throughput, industrial surface treatment system. QM Technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, mates APP’s MAP I system with a 400 kV modulator, producing a new thermal surface treatment that uses intense ion beams to enhance hardness, corrosion resistance and smoothness of surfaces, without using chemicals or solvents.
APP has developed a series of high-speed, high-voltage, high-current, solid-state switches and systems focused to mitigate the high cost of operation and short life expectancy associated with spark gaps, thyratrons and Krytrons. In addition APP has developed a series of switches applicable to pulsed magnet drivers, trigger generators and recently completed the developed a 48kV version to support the ELECTRA laser fusion program at the Naval Research Laboratory.
APP is developing solid state switches for applications which require very fast turn-on and has obtained funding from the Air Force Research Lab to develop silicon carbide switches, and funding from the Department of Energy to develop an optically controlled silicon switch.
Under a contract from the Department of Energy, APP developed and patented (#7,081,711) pulsed plasma source technology for the Heavy Ion Fusion Program.
APP has designed several terawatt-level pulsed power generators for research programs at Cornell University. FIREX, a 1.2 MV, 800 kA, 100 ns generator was designed for high energy ion ring experiments funded by DOE’s fusion power program. The 1MA, 1 MV COBRA high current generator was designed and built by APP for the new Center for the Study of Pulsed-Power-Driven High Energy Density Plasma at Cornell University.