News: Optoelectronics
25 September 2024
Resonac and Soitec to jointly develop bonded substrates for SiC power semiconductors
Tokyo-based wafer manufacturer Resonac Corp (formerly Showa Denko K.K. until its integration with Showa Denko Materials Co Ltd at the start of 2023) has signed an agreement with engineered substrate manufacturer Soitec of Bernin, near Grenoble, France to jointly develop 200mm (8-inch) silicon carbide (SiC) bonded substrates, which can serve as the material for SiC epitaxial wafers used in power semiconductors.
“SiC is in high demand due to its advantages over silicon such as lower power loss and heat generation during power conversion, contributing to energy saving,” notes Resonac.
“Silicon carbide is being adopted for electric vehicle (EV) and industrial applications, where it brings significant system cost advantage. To further accelerate this adoption, silicon carbide yield and productivity must be improved,” says Soitec’s chief technology officer Christophe Maleville.
“However, SiC single-crystal substrates, which are the main material for SiC power semiconductors, require uniform crystals, advanced technology for production, and time-consuming crystal growth, making productivity improvement a challenge,” says Resonac.
Resonac produces SiC epiwafers with epitaxial layers grown on SiC single-crystal substrates. The firm is also developing 8-inch large-diameter wafers and has started shipping samples.
In the collaboration, Resonac will supply SiC single-crystal substrates to Soitec, which will then use them to manufacture SiC bonded substrates by applying its unique SmartCut technology. This bonds the processed monocrystalline ‘donor’ wafer to a polycrystalline SiC ‘handle’ wafer as a support substrate, and then splits a thin film from the donor single-crystal substrate, enabling the production of multiple SmartSiC wafers from one SiC single-crystal substrate. The bonding substrate technology has already been commercialized for silicon wafers, and Soitec has expertise in its practical application.
By allowing multiple re-uses of the prime-quality monocrystalline SiC wafer, the technology not only improves productivity but also reduces CO2 emissions during SiC wafer manufacturing by up to 70%, offering environmental and cost benefits. As well as improving the production efficiency of 8-inch SiC wafers, the two companies also aim to diversify the SiC epiwafer supply chain.
Soitec has a new fabrication plant primarily dedicated to producing SmartSiC wafers for electric vehicles, renewable energy and industrial equipment component applications.
Soitec and Tokai Carbon to co-develop poly-SiC substrates for SmartSiC wafers
Soitec inaugurates new plant for SmartSiC wafer production
Infineon signs new SiC material multi-year supply and cooperation deal with Resonac
Showa Denko’s 8-inch SiC wafer development project funded by NEDO
