Coherent sic is a global leader in materials, networking and laser technologies. Their innovative offerings fuel market megatrends while meeting their mission of helping create a safer, healthier, closer world that works more efficiently.
Recently, it was announced that DENSO CORPORATION and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation invested a combined $1 billion into their silicon carbide semiconductor business to accelerate production expansion and meet growing demand for SiC power devices.
Cost-effectiveness
Coherent is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of silicon carbide (SiC) wafers. Their high-grade substrates are used for fabricating various devices utilizing SiC – such as MOSFETs and IGBTs – helping extend electric vehicle range by decreasing heat losses; more compact cooling systems allow saving space and weight reductions; finally they also enable higher power density for increased vehicle range.
The 200 mm wafers will enable manufacturers to produce more devices on each substrate, increasing productivity and lowering costs. The company currently ships substrate and epi-wafers in 350 micron thickness for critical applications like electric vehicles, energy infrastructure and high-power EV chargers.
Coherent offers an arsenal of advanced defect inspection methods to accurately evaluate SiC wafer quality. This includes Coherent Fourier Spectroscopy (CFS), which specializes in pinpointing high contrast defects with minimal noise levels and large depth of field, while simultaneously being capable of detecting subtle ones which are hard to spot with other techniques like scanning electron microscopy.
SiC wafers from this company are used for fabricating wideband-gap electronics that enhance electric vehicle performance, reduce battery pack weight and enhance charging station efficiency, while being more energy-efficient than silicon chips thus lowering overall costs of ownership for electric cars.
High power density
Coherent offers a comprehensive selection of laser products suitable for various applications. Their devices are widely utilized within manufacturing environments, providing advanced capabilities necessary for Industry 4.0. These devices help improve productivity, production quality and operating costs; making them suitable for metal cutting, welding and marking operations as well as many electronics/semiconductor-related uses.
Coherent SiC is also suitable for ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission applications due to its high power density, helping accelerate adoption of electric vehicles and contribute to creating a carbon neutral society – leading to a predicted surge in global SiC device demand over the coming years.
SiC’s nondegenerate ground state orbital makes it an excellent material to support spin-singlet ions with long T1 times, creating 3A2 states with long optical hole lifetimes that meet various application demands.
Silicon Carbide LLC, a US subsidiary of Coherent that manufactures SiC substrates and epiwafers, will help DENSO, Mitsubishi Electric and Denso meet their business goals of offering environmentally-friendly electric vehicle solutions by guaranteeing stable procurement of SiC wafers that are essential to battery electric vehicle batteries. Furthermore, their focus on attaining advanced thickness and doping uniformity will enhance power device and module performance to support these goals.
Low thermal conductivity
Contrasting with silicon’s higher thermal conductivity values, coherent sic boasts significantly lower values. This makes it suitable for applications where power dissipation is key – such as electric vehicle (EV) charging. This technology has the potential to cut charging time up to 30% as well as improving system efficiency and reliability.
Coherent’s newly established subsidiary has already started shipping 150 mm and 200 mm substrates and epi-wafers from their newly formed SiC subsidiary to customers for use in producing GaN-on-SiC power semiconductor devices for EV battery chargers and high-power electronics applications. Their SiC substrates and epi-wafers are known for their superior thickness and doping uniformity which expedites product development and production processes.
Consistent SiC not only delivers improved performance and reliability, but its low thermal conductivity also allows it to operate at much higher temperatures than traditional silicon power semiconductors – an asset when applied in industrial laser applications like welding, cutting and drilling.
Coherent is making strategic investments to expand its product offering, investing in a vertically integrated business that includes manufacturing substrates and epiwafers as well as devices and modules. Denso – an established automotive and industrial power system supplier – and Mitsubishi Electric (a leader in semiconductor manufacturing) will initially serve as customers. Khan believes these relationships will allow Coherent maximum learning when mass producing power devices on SiC substrates and epi-wafers.
Long lifetime
Coherent has announced the establishment of a new subsidiary with the goal of expanding access to SiC power devices among more customers. This business will manufacture 150mm and 200mm silicon carbide substrates and epi-wafers; shipping of latter has begun already. With advanced thickness and doping uniformity capabilities, these epi-wafers should help increase device performance and reliability.
The company is also working quickly towards the creation of a full-scale 8-inch facility to produce SiC epi wafers and power devices, meeting consumer demand for these essential devices which drive consumer acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs). They must be cost-effective and convenient compared with conventional gasoline cars in terms of price, operating costs, driving range and charging time compared with their counterparts if EVs are to become widely adopted by consumers.
OPSLs (optical parametric oscillators) have become an indispensable part of everyday life. From life science instrumentation and semiconductor inspection, to stunning outdoor light shows and spectacular outdoor displays – over 100,000 OPSLs have already been deployed into the field, ranging in power from milliwatts up to multiple watts.
Opto-Plasma Source Lasers (OPSLs), in contrast with their traditional counterparts, use high-quality silicon carbide (SiC) quantum devices that feature long spin T1 times and low nuclear spin density for exceptional reliability and long lifetimes – key characteristics that have contributed significantly to their market success in many industries.
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