News: Microelectronics
3 December 2024
Japan investing ¥70.5bn in ¥211.6bn joint DENSO–Fuji Electric plan to boost SiC power semi production
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has approved a ¥70.5bn subsidy for a plan totalling ¥211.6bn ($1.41bn) submitted by automotive supplier DENSO Corp and power electronics manufacturer Fuji Electric Co Ltd for the Japan-based companies to jointly invest in and produce silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors.
In response to the trend to increased electrification, DENSO has pursued SiC technology development projects targeting greater quality and efficiency regarding everything from wafers and device chips to modules and inverters.
Meanwhile, Fuji Electric has built up extensive capabilities encompassing all tasks ranging from the development of SiC power semiconductor chips that enable increased efficiency and more compact designs for power electronics equipment, to mass production of the related modules.
Based on the approved plan, the two companies will combine their respective automotive product development and production technology capabilities in a joint effort to expand their capacity for the efficient and stable supply of SiC power semiconductors throughout Japan.
Production sites will include DENSO’s Daian Plant (SiC wafers) and Kota Plant (SiC epitaxial wafers), and Fuji Electric’s Matsumoto Factory (SiC epitaxial wafers and SiC power semiconductors).
DENSO and Mitsubishi Electric investing $1bn in Coherent’s silicon carbide business
