Aixtron’s G10-SiC CVD System Supports GlobiTech’s SiC Epitaxy Expansion

• GlobiTech Inc produces silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon epitaxial wafers, primarily focusing on serving the power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments.
• GlobiTech Inc's production facilities are located in Sherman, Texas, USA.

Aixtron SE is aiding Texas-based silicon-epitaxy foundry GlobiTech Inc's entry into the silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxy market. The G10-SiC chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system from Aixtron has enabled GlobiTech to rapidly scale SiC epitaxy production in response to growing demand for power epiwafers. Featuring dual wafer sizes (9x150mm and 6x200mm), it offers high throughput per fab space. GlobiTech's expansion confirms the trend of SiC replacing silicon in various applications. Both firms have enjoyed a fruitful partnership, with Aixtron's tools maximizing wafer output. The G10-SiC is projected to be Aixtron's top-selling product in 2023.

Aixtron G10-SiC (Source Aixtron.com)

Source: AIXTRON Pressemeldungen :: AIXTRON

Recent Blog posts on SiC:

BALD Engineering - Born in Finland, Born to ALD: SiC Market Soars Towards $9 Billion: EVs and High-Power Chargers Drive Growth

BALD Engineering - Born in Finland, Born to ALD: SiC Market Soars Towards $9 Billion: EVs and High-Power Chargers Drive Growth

BALD Engineering - Born in Finland, Born to ALD: Samco launches new ICP Tornado Plasma ALD system

BALD Engineering - Born in Finland, Born to ALD: ASM International has completed the acquisition of Italian Silicon Carbide Equipment Manufacturer LPE S.p.A.

BALD Engineering - Born in Finland, Born to ALD: Chemistry paves the way for improved electronic materials - LiU have developed a new molecule that can be used to create high-quality indium nitride

Background:

• Silicon carbide: from gold rush to commodity?¹, which provides an overview of the global SiC market and its predictions for the future of the technology. It discusses the growth rate, size, and drivers of the SiC device market, as well as the competitive landscape and supply chain of the SiC industry. It also analyzes the challenges and opportunities for SiC technology in different applications, such as automotive, industrial, energy, and telecommunications. It also compares and evaluates SiC with other wide bandgap materials, such as gallium nitride (GaN) and diamond.
• The 2023 global fab landscape: opportunities and obstacles², which considers the state of the global semiconductor fab market in a post-COVID world. It discusses the emerging business models that could enable the semiconductor industry to migrate to leading-edge and mature technology with optimal manufacturing capacity. It also examines the impact of COVID-19, trade wars, and geopolitical tensions on the semiconductor supply chain and fab investments. It also explores the trends and innovations in semiconductor materials, devices, and modules, such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and quantum computing.

SiC Market Soars Towards $9 Billion: EVs and High-Power Chargers Drive Growth

Strategic Shift to 8-Inch Wafers: Opportunities and Challenges Shape SiC's Next Phase

According to Yole, the Silicon Carbide (SiC) market is on a robust trajectory, poised to reach nearly $9 billion by 2028, driven by a dynamic blend of growth factors. The automotive sector, particularly Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and 800V EV systems, spearheads this expansion. SiC's prominence extends to EV DC chargers, offering immense potential for high-power modular chargers. Additionally, SiC plays a pivotal role in energy supply, with installations expected to surge between 2022 and 2028. Industrial power supplies, motor drives, and rail systems further diversify SiC's applications. This Yole report underscores SiC's prowess in high-efficiency power electronics across industries, shaping a transformative market landscape.

The report indicates that as of 2023, the mainstream SiC wafer size for leading players is still 6 inches. However, there are strategic discussions and plans surrounding the transition to 8-inch (200 mm) SiC wafers. While Wolfspeed is currently the only player producing SiC devices on the 8-inch platform, other companies have announced their intention to follow suit. The adoption of 8-inch wafers presents both opportunities and challenges.

Challenges associated with 8-inch wafer production include higher costs, longer equipment lead times, potentially lower initial yield rates due to the larger size, and concerns about the availability of these wafers. Wolfspeed's early adoption of 8-inch wafer production reflects their proactive stance in developing the technologies and processes required to overcome these challenges.

The transition to 8-inch wafers is an area of focus due to the potential advantages it offers, such as increased capacity and improved cost efficiency over time. However, the challenges mentioned earlier are critical factors that need to be addressed for a successful transition. Companies are investing in innovative approaches and strategies to ensure a smooth migration to the 8-inch platform, which has the potential to impact the SiC power devices market significantly in the coming years.

Yole Group - Follow the latest trend news in the Semiconductor Industry

ASM International has completed the acquisition of Italian Silicon Carbide Equipment Manufacturer LPE S.p.A.

ASM International (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today announces that it has completed the acquisition of LPE S.p.A., after having received regulatory approvals.

On July 18, 2022, ASM entered into a definitive agreement under which it would at closing acquire all of the outstanding shares of LPE, an Italian based manufacturer of epitaxial reactors for silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon. As announced in our press release of July 18, 2022, the transaction is financed with a combination of cash, a conditional earn out, and 631,154 ASM shares (a combination of 580,000 treasury shares and 51,154 newly issued shares).

The acquisition has been completed today, and LPE is now a fully owned subsidiary and will operate as a product unit under ASM’s Global Products organization.

“This is an important milestone for ASM. We are excited to welcome LPE and its talented and experienced team into ASM,” said Benjamin Loh, President and CEO of ASM. “Together with LPE we look forward to capturing many of the opportunities in the high-growth silicon carbide epitaxy market and to support our power electronics customers with innovative solutions, driving the further electrification of the automotive industry.”

“I believe ASM is the right partner for LPE, especially now looking at the growth we are seeing in the silicon carbide market. The global reach that ASM has with its entrenched supplier and customer networks will bring benefits to all stakeholders,” said Franco Preti, who envisioned the silicon carbide opportunity in the earliest stages and led LPE growth as CEO until the acquisition.

LPE is profitable with margins in line with ASM’s 2021-2025 target model. As announced earlier, LPE’s revenue is projected to grow to more than €100 million in 2023, mainly driven by its SiC epitaxy equipment business. Based on ASM internal estimates, demand for SiC epitaxy equipment is forecasted to grow at a CAGR in excess of 25% from 2021 to 2025, driven by the rapidly expanding market for electric vehicles.

Japanese researchers enable high thru put conformal CVD for SiC on Silicon wafer integration

As reported by ACS (LINK) New, concise method proposed for conformal chemical vapor deposition using sacrificial layers (SLs). SLs are porous membranes that filter high sticking-probability species, while allow the passage of low ones.

This is a really clever by researchers at University of Tokyo and IHI Corporation for CVD to compete with ALD on conformality and keeping a high deposition rate and at the same time produce bulk material like SiC on Si for larger wafer diameter.

Figure from ACS Twitter post (LINK)

Reference:

Porous Membranes as Sacrificial Layers Enabling Conformal Chemical Vapor Deposition Involving Multiple Film-Forming Species
Kohei Shima, Yuichi Funato, Noboru Sato, Yasuyuki Fukushima, Takeshi Momose, and Yukihiro Shimogaki
ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 45, 51016–51025
Publication Date:October 30, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c14069