Nexperia and TU Hamburg Launch Endowed Chair in Power Electronics to Drive Energy-Efficient Innovation

New professorship to accelerate wide bandgap semiconductor research and train next-generation talent for the global energy transition

Global semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia and the Hamburg University of Technology (TU Hamburg) have launched an endowed professorship in power electronic devices – a crucial field for the advancement of energy-efficient technologies. The position, held by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kapels will drive research into next-generation semiconductor components and train highly skilled engineers at TU Hamburg’s School of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics. As part of this initiative, Prof. Kapels will also lead the newly founded Institute for Power Electronic Devices.

In his inaugural lecture, titled “Innovative Power Semiconductor Devices as a Key Technology for an Electrified Future,” Prof. Kapels outlined how compound semiconductors based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are enabling transformative improvements in energy efficiency – particularly in electric vehicles, industrial systems, and data centers. Wide bandgap (WBG) materials such as SiC, GaN, and aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) allow for higher switching frequencies, lower conduction losses, and more compact device footprints compared to traditional silicon.

The new institute will focus on power semiconductors based on Silicon, SiC, GaN and aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN), new device architectures, including vertical GaN structures and machine-learning-based fault prediction systems. Additional research priorities include modeling the reliability and ruggedness of power devices under extreme operating conditions.

Opening remarks at the event were delivered by TU Hamburg President Prof. Dr. Andreas Timm-Giel. Representing the Hamburg Senate, State Secretary for Science Dr. Eva Gümbel emphasized the broader impact of the new chair: “This endowed professorship addresses one of the most important enabling technologies of our time. Power electronics are vital to sustainable energy supply and industrial innovation. With Prof. Kapels, TU Hamburg gains a leading researcher who will shape both science and education in this strategic field.”

Ansgar Thorns, Vice president R&D at Nexperia Germany, highlighted the professorship’s significance for the company and the broader innovation ecosystem: “This professorship is an investment in future technologies, in local talent, and in Hamburg as a center for semiconductor excellence. Fostering innovation and developing the next generation of engineers go hand in hand – and both are critical to strengthening our deep-tech ecosystem.”

The new chair is part of Nexperia’s long-term innovation strategy. The company has a manufacturing legacy in Hamburg that dates back over a century to the founding of the Valvo radio tube factory in 1924 – a pioneering site in German electronics history. Today, Nexperia’s Hamburg facility produces approximately 25% of the world’s small-signal diodes and transistors. Since 2017, the site has expanded from 950 to around 1,600 employees and undergone significant technological modernization, including a strategic expansion into power semiconductors.

“This is Nexperia’s first endowed professorship and a milestone for our engagement with research and education,” Thorns added. “We’re proud to partner with TU Hamburg – a strong academic institution – to shape the future of energy-efficient semiconductor technologies in Germany and beyond.”

Beginning in the winter semester 2025/26, Prof. Kapels will teach “Electrical Engineering I” and “Wide Bandgap Semiconductors”, helping to equip a new generation of engineers with the expertise needed to support the global shift toward electrification and decarbonization.

Event images and further information are available upon request. Find the information about the new Institute for Power Electronic Devices here: https://www.tuhh.de/ped/en/homepage

 About Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Kapels

Prof. Kapels is an internationally recognized expert in the field of power electronics. After studying electrical engineering in Bremen and completing his doctorate on semiconductor components, he worked in industry for several years, where he developed modern components based on new semiconductor materials, among other things. This was followed by professorships in Hamburg and Kiel as well as leading positions in the field of applied research, most recently as acting institute director at a renowned Fraunhofer Institute. There, he provided strategic impetus for future technologies such as gallium nitride-based power semiconductors and neuromorphic systems and played a key role in acquiring extensive research funding – including as part of the APECS project to strengthen European semiconductor expertise and the expansion of the research infrastructure as part of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD). He is regarded as an important bridge builder between science, technology development and industrial application. At TU Hamburg, he contributes his many years of experience in industry, research and technology transfer to teaching and development work.