everything RF recently interviewed Keiichi Yoshioka, the Representative Director & President of Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. He has a background in optical physics and has been involved in the development of significant products in the semiconductor industry, including a CPU used in the first fully-fledged home video gaming console in Japan. Yoshioka has a strong commitment to advancing semiconductor technology and has been actively involved in various technological innovations, including the 3D integration of analog ICs.
Q. Could you provide an overview of Nisshinbo Micro Devices, including its core areas of expertise, and explain how the integration of New Japan Radio and Ricoh Electronic Devices has shaped the company’s capabilities?
Keiichi Yoshioka: Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. is a manufacturer of analog semiconductors and microwave products, delivering a wide range of devices and solutions for automotive, industrial, and communication applications. Leveraging its core strength in analog technologies, the company supports a broad spectrum of systems that connect modern society, contributing to the realization of a smarter and more sustainable world.
A major milestone in the company’s history was the integration of New Japan Radio and Ricoh Electronic Devices, both of which had long-standing expertise in analog semiconductor technologies. New Japan Radio brought strengths in signal processing technologies such as operational amplifiers, while Ricoh Electronic Devices contributed advanced power management technologies.
In January 2022, these two companies were integrated to form Nisshinbo Micro Devices. The integration unified development, production, and sales resources, enabling the company to maximize synergies in analog technology. As a result, the company has expanded its capabilities beyond individual devices to include module-and system-level solutions.
Q. What are the main technologies and product categories that Nisshinbo Micro Devices develops? Which product category is currently the largest for you, and which product category is growing the fastest?
Keiichi Yoshioka: Nisshinbo Micro Devices operates in two main business domains: Electronic Devices and Microwave Products.
In the Electronic Devices domain, the company provides a wide range of analog ICs, including power management ICs, operational amplifiers, comparators, sensor signal processing ICs, and battery protection ICs. Its key strengths lie in efficient power control technologies and high-precision signal processing capabilities.
PMICs from Nisshinbo Micro Devices
In the Microwave domain, the company develops high-frequency devices and modules for applications such as satellite communications, radar systems, and sensing technologies, leveraging its long-standing expertise in high-reliability and high-durability design.
Currently, the Electronic Devices business represents the largest share of revenue. Within this domain, power management ICs and sensor-integrated module products are experiencing strong growth. This growth is driven by increasing demand for energy efficiency and sensing capabilities, particularly in areas such as electrification (EV) and IoT.
Going forward, the company aims to enhance its value proposition by expanding from individual devices to more advanced module-based and solution-oriented offerings.
Q. Can you tell us more about your RF & Microwave product line? Which industries and application areas do your microwave and RF products serve? What are the main strengths of your products in these areas?
Keiichi Yoshioka: Our RF & Microwave product line encompasses a broad portfolio, ranging from semiconductor components to RF-specific electron tube devices such as magnetrons, as well as application-specific modules and components.
These products serve a wide range of industries, including mobile communications, industrial equipment, automotive, broadcasting, satellite communications, and sensing applications. In the semiconductor segment, we develop RF front-end devices for mobile terminals and small cells, high-speed devices for Wi-Fi applications, and low-power devices for Industrial IoT (IIoT), supporting both advanced communication performance and energy efficiency.
In the automotive sector, we provide solutions for GNSS and smart key access systems, contributing to next-generation mobility. We also offer a robust lineup for digital broadcasting applications, ensuring stable and reliable signal transmission.
In addition, our modules and components, including magnetrons, support applications such as sensing modules, satellite communication equipment (BUCs and LNBs), and marine radar systems.
A key strength of our RF & Microwave business is the ability to deliver integrated solutions optimized from device to module level, enabling high performance and reliability across diverse applications.
Q. Could you tell us more about the VSAT components that you develop? What are the key features or strengths that differentiate your VSAT products from others in the market?
Keiichi Yoshioka: Our VSAT components are developed based on our strengths as a semiconductor manufacturer, combining advanced design capabilities with proven production technologies to maximize device performance.
In high-frequency applications, we utilize package-less bare-die implementation, which minimizes signal loss and enables highly efficient and stable RF performance. In addition, our designs emphasize low distortion characteristics, ensuring high signal integrity in demanding communication environments.
Compared to other products in the market, our VSAT components stand out by achieving an excellent balance of low loss, high performance (low distortion), and high reliability. These characteristics allow us to meet stringent requirements such as high output power and high sensitivity in satellite communication systems.
Furthermore, backed by many years of manufacturing experience and strict quality control, our products deliver stable performance even under harsh operating conditions.
VSAT components like BUCs, LNBs, and LNAs from Nisshinbo Micro Devices
Q. How do you support engineers across different stages of product development, from concept and circuit design to evaluation and production?
Keiichi Yoshioka: As an analog semiconductor manufacturer, we provide comprehensive design support that goes beyond supplying individual devices. We support customers throughout the entire development process, from initial concept to mass production. At the early design stage, we assist with product selection and circuit architecture tailored to specific applications. During circuit design, we provide reference circuits and application notes to accelerate development. At the evaluation stage, we offer evaluation boards and technical documentation to support verification and prototyping. For mass production, we also provide practical support, including PCB layout and noise mitigation.
In addition, our online design support platform offers datasheets, technical documents, SPICE models, and design examples, enabling engineers to efficiently proceed from design to evaluation.
By combining analog ICs, sensors, and microwave technologies, we provide system-level design support that enhances the overall value of our customers’ products.
Q. Can you tell us about your wafer-foundry capabilities, including the process technologies you offer and the key applications or customer segments you serve?
Keiichi Yoshioka: Our wafer-foundry service enables customers to manufacture their own designed devices using our established process technologies and production infrastructure.
We offer a range of process technologies with strengths in analog, high-voltage, and high-frequency applications, including bipolar, BiCMOS, and CMOS processes. These are suitable for power management ICs, signal processing ICs, and RF/microwave devices.
Typical customers include fabless semiconductor companies, system manufacturers, and research institutions that require reliable manufacturing for proprietary designs. These services are widely used in industrial, automotive, communication infrastructure, and sensing applications where high reliability and long-term supply are critical.
Beyond manufacturing, we also provide technical support from process selection and design stages through prototyping and mass production, helping improve development efficiency and product quality.
Nisshinbo Micro Devices' Foundry Services
Q. What is Analog Master Slice? Please explain what this service is, how it works, and what benefits it offers to customers compared to a fully custom IC.
Keiichi Yoshioka: Analog Master Slice is a semi-custom analog IC development approach that uses pre-fabricated wafers with basic elements such as transistors, where only the final metal layers are customized to achieve the desired functionality.
This approach allows us to share front-end processes while flexibly implementing customer-specific circuits, providing end-to-end support from design to mass production.
Compared to full custom ICs, Analog Master Slice offers several advantages, including shorter development time, lower cost, and high reliability based on proven process platforms. It is particularly suitable for applications requiring fast development cycles with some level of customization, such as industrial, automotive, and consumer electronics. Click here to learn more about this service.
Q. Many of your customers require long product lifecycles and high reliability. What specific processes or programs do you have in place to ensure product quality, consistency, and long-term supply availability?
Keiichi Yoshioka: We have established a comprehensive framework to ensure both high reliability and long-term product availability.
From development through mass production, we follow standardized design and evaluation processes, supported by rigorous reliability testing and quality assurance systems. We also implement strict change management in manufacturing processes to maintain consistent product performance over time.
On the supply side, we operate a Product Longevity Program (PLP) to ensure a stable long-term supply. This includes clear product lifecycle planning, advanced notifications of changes, and alternative product proposals when necessary, helping protect customers’ design investments.
Our vertically integrated structure, from design to manufacturing, further strengthens our ability to maintain both quality and supply stability.
Q. Over the next few years, which technology areas will be your main focus? For example, are you prioritizing analog precision, RF and microwave products, or expanded design and manufacturing services?
Keiichi Yoshioka: We are focusing our resources on high-growth and high-value areas centered around our core analog technologies.
Key focus areas include:
- Advancement of analog core technologies: Further enhancing precision, low power consumption, and reliability in products such as power management ICs and operational amplifiers.
- Integration of RF/microwave and analog technologies: Creating high-value products in sensing, communication, and radar applications by combining our strengths in both domains.
- Expansion into modules and solution-based offerings: Moving beyond standalone devices to modules and system-level solutions to deliver greater value and enable customer-specific optimization.
Through this strategy, we aim to establish strong positions in niche markets and achieve sustainable growth.
Q. In today’s global semiconductor environment, what do you see as the biggest challenge for analog and RF solution providers, and what do you see as the biggest opportunity?
Keiichi Yoshioka: One of the main challenges is the increasing complexity of market requirements. As technologies such as AI, IoT, automotive systems, and communication infrastructure evolve, demand is shifting toward higher precision, higher frequency, and lower power consumption. In analog design, performance improvements rely heavily on design expertise rather than scaling alone, making the balance between technological advancement and development efficiency critical.
Another key challenge is the growing demand for long-term supply and high reliability, particularly in industrial and automotive markets. Maintaining stable production and quality amid supply chain risks has become increasingly important. At the same time, the importance of analog and RF technologies continues to grow as digitalization advances. Areas such as sensing, power management, and wireless communication are expected to see sustained growth.
We also see a clear shift from standalone components to module-based and solution-oriented offerings, driven by the need to solve increasingly complex system-level challenges.
In this environment, we are strengthening our capabilities in both “Energy Management” and “Signal Processing,” while evolving from component-level competitiveness to total solution delivery, turning market challenges into growth opportunities.
About the Company:
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc., established under the Nisshinbo Group in January 2022, provides products based on Microelectronic and Microwave technologies. The company specializes in a broad portfolio of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions, including power supply ICs, operational amplifiers, Li-ion battery protection ICs, PMICs, sensors, and signal processing ICs. By combining its long-standing microwave technology expertise with advanced digital capabilities and collaborative innovation both within and beyond the group, Nisshinbo Micro Devices positions itself as an analog solution provider dedicated to creating value for customers and addressing societal challenges through connected technologies.
