Wolfspeed is an industry leader when it comes to siC substrates and epi wafers, boasting well-proven technologies that are protected by robust intellectual property protections.
Focusing on its device business (power semiconductors), to increase margins and maintain pricing power. They recently signed an agreement with Renesas to supply 200mm wafers from Siler City facility.
What is Silicon Carbide?
Silicon carbide, also known as SiC or Carborundum, is one of the hardest materials on Earth; so hard that only diamond-tipped blades can cut it.
Silicon is a semiconductor material with a wide bandgap, meaning its properties vary between being conductor and insulator, making it suitable for applications requiring high temperatures and voltages, such as power electronics like those found in electric vehicles or DC/DC converters used to regulate renewable-powered grids.
SiC’s unique power handling properties make it well suited for use in 1,500-V DC bus inverters used in electric vehicle fast charging systems, grid energy storage and battery-powered ESS. Wolfspeed’s standard power modules can assist engineers in simplifying, speeding up and derisking system designs resulting in faster time to market with reduced costs and power losses.
Wolfspeed stands as an industry leader in SiC manufacturing and provides power system designers with evaluation tools to assist with their designs. Our LTspice models allow engineers to test designs without physical samples or costly equipment; and our gate driver and discrete product portfolios enable system designers to maximize SiC’s benefits by minimizing package parasitics and increasing surge capabilities – perfect complements for our GeneSiC MOSFETs and Schottky diodes available as power modules or bare die products.
How is Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide Made?
SiC is known for its superior thermal conductivity, rigidity, and low thermal expansion coefficient; thus making it the material of choice when crafting mirrors for large-scale telescopes like Herschel Space Telescope. Furthermore, SiC’s ability to withstand high temperatures and voltages make it ideal for power semiconductors.
Silicon carbide devices have seen considerable adoption as electric car inverters become more efficient, increasing driving range and energy efficiency. Industry analysts expect silicon carbide power chips to account for 20% of the market by 2027 due to their ability to handle higher voltages with lower operating temperatures and have less parasitic load than their predecessors.
Wolfspeed recently expanded beyond Durham with the opening of Mohawk Valley Fab, an upstate New York wafer fab that allows them to manufacture higher volume SiC devices for both military and civilian applications.
As demand continues to increase, Wolfspeed is making investments to expand its production capacity. They are in the midst of building the John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide in Siler City, North Carolina; with the first phase expected to be complete by 2024 and could potentially result in an exponential increase in material production capability compared to their existing materials expansion at Durham headquarters.
SGL Carbon will supply its raw graphite to Mohawk Valley Fab and John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide facilities using physical vapor transport (PVT), an advanced technique developed by Toyota and Denso as opposed to chemical vapor deposition (CVD) which is more traditional.
Why is Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide Different?
Wolfspeed SiC solutions enable renewable energy systems to regulate power more safely by safely handling higher voltages and dissipating heat more effectively, making the portfolio of discrete components and high-power modules available from Wolfspeed an invaluable asset in creating lighter, smaller systems with increased power density by up to 40%.
Silicon carbide’s lower electromagnetic interference emissions than that of traditional silicon make it far less likely for system failure and improved performance, thus decreasing system downtime and improving overall system efficiency. Wolfspeed, as one of the first suppliers of base SiC wafers worldwide, also understands how best to engineer silicon carbide wafers for optimal performance, resulting in lower conductive losses, switching losses, and overall losses than alternative materials such as glass.
Wolfspeed’s 2300V devices feature an improved failure-in-time rate for continuous 1500V DC operation and reduced cosmic ray susceptibility when used in two-level designs, leading to longer lifespan and durability over traditional silicon IGBTs. This represents a substantial upgrade over competing technologies.
These benefits can make an important contribution to EV on-board charging (OBC) systems, helping them meet the challenge of providing sustainable transportation for an ever-increasing population while protecting global grids. With billions of field hours under their belts and proven reliability, Wolfspeed’s semiconductors and systems provide long-term support for emerging alternative energy applications.
How can Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide Help You?
Wolfspeed’s Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices make power system design simpler, faster, and risk-free while meeting emerging efficiency standards. Our 650V SiC MOSFETs boast significantly lower costs per watt than silicon equivalents while remaining highly durable with wide operating temperature range capabilities – benefits which enable design sustainability in renewable energy systems such as reducing system size/weight while increasing power density/extending run times with reduced battery capacity capacity.
Power system designers can utilize our 2300V baseplate-less modules for 1500V DC bus applications to improve performance while decreasing component count by increasing power density and dynamic performance, leading to reduced passive component size as well as decreased overall system costs due to reduced heat production. This module helps optimize power density while decreasing passive component size significantly for improved system efficiency and lower heat generation costs.
As part of our dedication to supporting US economies and workers, we’re creating a vibrant semiconductor research and manufacturing hub in North Carolina. Near NC State, our John Palmour Materials Plant will become the world’s first high-volume 200mm SiC wafer fabrication facility.
Wolfspeed has over 4,000 employees and is dedicated to building a more skilled workforce in the US through investing in training programs that address high-growth jobs. Our flagship program, the Applied Science Academy, brings industry experts and NC State faculty together for rigorous courses that prepare both undergraduates and graduates for careers in semiconductor production. In addition, Wolfspeed works closely with local career organizations like Real Life Rosies and VET STEP to open doors into technology careers for women veterans alike.
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