[News] The World’s First 12-Inch Silicon Carbide Substrate Unveiled

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On November 13, at Semicon Europe 2024 in Munich, Germany, China’s silicon carbide (SiC) substrate manufacturer, SICC, announced the launch of the industry’s first 300mm (12-inch) silicon carbide substrate. This marks a significant step into the era of ultra-large silicon carbide substrates.

SICC stated that the 12-inch silicon carbide substrate material can significantly expand the usable area for chip manufacturing on a single wafer, greatly increasing the yield of qualified chips. Under equivalent production conditions, this innovation boosts output, reduces unit costs, and enhances economic benefits, paving the way for broader applications of silicon carbide materials.

Current Status of Silicon Carbide Substrates: 12-Inch Emerges, 8-Inch Accelerates Adoption

The global silicon carbide substrate market is highly competitive, with international companies like Wolfspeed, Infineon, STMicroelectronics, and ON Semiconductor leading the industry. In China, SICC has developed the capability to produce the industry’s largest 12-inch silicon carbide substrates and has achieved stable mass production of 8-inch substrates.

Besides SICC, companies such as Semisic, Synlight Crystal, and TankeBlue also possess 8-inch silicon carbide substrate production capabilities. Other players are engaged in research and development in the silicon carbide substrate field, though they may not yet have achieved mass production of 8-inch or larger substrates.

According to prior research by TrendForce, the current market share of 8-inch silicon carbide substrates is less than 2%, but this figure is projected to grow to approximately 15% by 2026.

Targeting Ultra-Large Substrates: The Next Step for Silicon Carbide

With the rapid development of industries such as electric vehicles, photovoltaic energy storage, 5G communications, and high-voltage smart grids, the demand for silicon carbide-based devices capable of operating under high-power, high-voltage, and high-frequency conditions has surged. Silicon carbide substrates, as a critical upstream material, are increasingly vital.

Industry experts highlight that larger silicon carbide substrates offer a greater surface area, enabling the production of more chips on a single substrate, thereby improving production efficiency. Additionally, large-size substrates reduce edge waste, helping to lower the cost per chip.

In terms of substrate size:

4-inch substrates are primarily used for gallium nitride RF devices.

6-inch substrates are the mainstream product for conductive silicon carbide markets.

8-inch substrates are increasingly adopted, with industry leaders like Wolfspeed and Infineon successfully developing and establishing 8-inch production lines. Compared to 6-inch substrates, 8-inch ones offer higher efficiency and lower costs.

12-inch substrates, though not yet widely applied, are expected to become a key development focus as technological advancements and cost reductions continue in the future.

(Photo credit: Synlight)