[News] ST to Build a New 8-Inch SiC Facility in Italy with EUR 5 Billion

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On May 31, STMicroelectronics announced to build a new high-volume 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) facility in Catania, Italy, for power devices and modules as well as test and packaging.

According to a report from WeChat account DRAMeXchange, the new plant aims to commence production in 2026 and ramp to full capacity by 2033, with a full production capacity of up to 15,000 wafers per week. The total investment is expected to be around EUR 5 billion, with a support of around EUR 2 billion provided by the State of Italy in the framework of the EU Chips Act.

ST stated that Catania Silicon Carbide Campus will serve as the central hub of ST’ s global SiC ecosystem, integrating all steps in the production flow, including SiC substrate development, epitaxial growth processes, 200mm front-end wafer fabrication and module back-end assembly, as well as process R&D, product design, advanced R&D labs for dies, power systems and modules, and full packaging capabilities. This will achieve a first of a kind in Europe for the mass production of 200mm SiC wafers.

Currently, ST is producing its flagship high-volume SiC products on two 150mm wafer production lines in Catania, Italy, and Ang Mo Kio, Singapore. The third center is a joint venture between ST and San’an, which is now building a 200mm plant in Chongqing, China, dedicated to serving ST’s Chinese customers.

ST’s wafer production facilities are supported by automotive-qualified, high-volume assembly and test operations in Bouskoura (Morocco) and Shenzhen (China). SiC substrate R&D and industrialization is undertaken in Norrköping (Sweden) and Catania, where ST’s SiC substrates manufacturing facility is ramping up production and most of ST’s SiC product R&D and design staff are based.

SiC is a compound semiconductor material with inherent properties that offer superior performance and efficiency in power applications compared to silicon. Driven by market demands in new energy vehicles, photovoltaic storage applications, the usage volume of SiC power devices continues to rise.

As per TrendForce’s survey, the market size of global SiC Power Device was around USD 3.04 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to USD 9.17 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 25%.

Read more

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• [News] Continuous Breakthroughs in SiC Substrates, Global 8-Inch Fab to Reach 11

(Photo credit: STMicroelectronics )