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Who Makes Silicon Carbide Chips?

Views: 222 Author: Loretta Publish Time: 2025-02-14 Origin: Site

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Content Menu

● Applications of Silicon Carbide

● Manufacturing Process of Silicon Carbide Chips

● Key Players in the Silicon Carbide Market

● The Role of Silicon Carbide in Electric Vehicles

● Improvements in Manufacturing Processes

● Bosch's Role in Silicon Carbide Chip Production

● Conclusion

● FAQ

>> 1. What are the primary advantages of using silicon carbide in power electronics?

>> 2. In what applications are SiC devices commonly used?

>> 3. What are the main steps in the silicon carbide chip manufacturing process?

>> 4. Which companies are the leading manufacturers of silicon carbide chips?

>> 5. How is silicon carbide contributing to the electric vehicle industry?

● Citations:

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound semiconductor material composed of silicon (Si) and carbon (C). It is also known as a wide-bandgap semiconductor material because its band gap is greater than 2.2eV[6]. Due to its high hardness and wear resistance, silicon carbide is extensively utilized in abrasives and refractory materials[5]. High-purity silicon carbide is gaining traction as a superior material for power semiconductors, outperforming traditional silicon semiconductors[5].

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Applications of Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide is ideally suited for power applications because of its ability to withstand high voltages, up to ten times higher than those of silicon[3]. Semiconductors based on silicon carbide offer higher thermal conductivity, higher electron mobility, and lower power losses[3]. SiC diodes and transistors can also operate at higher frequencies and temperatures without compromising reliability[3].

The main applications of SiC devices, such as Schottky diodes and FET/MOSFET transistors, include converters, inverters, power supplies, battery chargers, and motor control systems[3]. In electric vehicles, SiC enhances power electronics, especially the inverter, the DC/DC converter, and the on-board charger[7]. SiC-based inverters offer higher power efficiency and improved performance[7].

Manufacturing Process of Silicon Carbide Chips

The video "How Silicon Carbide (SiC) Chips Are Made at PAM-XIAMEN?"[2] illustrates the manufacturing process, which can be summarized in the following steps:

1. Injection Mask: The wafer is cleaned, and a layer of silicon oxide film is deposited. A photoresist pattern is formed through uniform glue exposure development. The pattern is transferred to the etching mask through an etching process[2].

2. Iron Implantation: The masked wafer is placed into an iron implanter, and high-energy ions are implanted. The mask is removed and annealed to activate the implanted ions[2].

3. Making the Grid: A gate oxide layer and a gate electrode layer are sequentially deposited on the wafer to form a gate-level control structure[2].

4. Making a Passivation Layer: A dielectric clear with good insulating properties is deposited to prevent breakdown between electrodes[2].

5. Making Drain Source Electrodes: Holes are opened on the passivation layer, and metal is sputtered to form drain source electrodes. When a positive voltage is applied between the drain source electrode and the gate source electrode, the channel opens, electrons flow from the source to the drain, and the current flows from the drain to the source[2].

A basic power device cell is now fabricated. SiC chips can effectively improve work efficiency, reduce energy loss and covering emissions, improve system reliability, reduce volume, and save space[2].

Silicon carbide wafers are made using high-purity silicon powder and high-purity carbon powder as raw materials to grow SiC single crystals by physical vapor transport (PVT)[6]. The SiC crystal is cut into thin slices with a thickness of no more than 1 mm using multi-wire dicing equipment[6]. The wafers are ground to the desired flatness and roughness through diamond slurry of different particle sizes and undergo mechanical polishing and chemical mechanical polishing to obtain mirror-surface SiC polished wafers[6]. The micropipe density, surface roughness, resistivity, warp, TTV, surface scratches, and other parameters of SiC wafers are detected using optical microscopes and other instruments[6]. The SiC polished wafers are cleaned with a cleaning agent and pure water to remove surface contaminants, and then the wafers are blown and dried by ultra-high-purity nitrogen gas and a drying machine[6].

Key Players in the Silicon Carbide Market

Several major companies have a significant global presence in the silicon carbide market[1]. These companies employ strategies such as product launches, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, acquisitions, and expansions to strengthen their market position[1]. These strategies help them expand globally by providing innovative and advanced SiC devices[1].

Major Silicon Carbide Companies:

- STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland)[1]

- Infineon Technologies AG (Germany)[1]

- Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US)[1]

- WOLFSPEED, INC. (US)[1]

- ROHM Co., Ltd. (Japan)[1]

- CoorsTek, Inc.[5]

- Microchip Technology Inc.[5]

- Advanced Abrasives Corporation[5]

In 2022, the top five SiC power semiconductor players were STMicroelectronics (36.5%), Infineon (17.9%), Wolfspeed (16.3%), Onsemi (11.6%), and ROHM (8.1%)[9]. These major players control more than 90% of the market, increasing competition[9].

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The Role of Silicon Carbide in Electric Vehicles

Silicon carbide is becoming indispensable in the automotive industry, with more components leveraging its unique properties[7]. SiC primarily enhances power electronics in electric vehicles, especially the inverter, the DC/DC converter, and the on-board charger[7]. SiC-based inverters offer higher power efficiency and improved performance, and their capability for high switching speeds and reduced energy losses makes them especially impactful in performance EVs, which often offer 800V battery systems[7].

Thanks to reduced power losses, SiC-based inverters generate less heat, which simplifies cooling requirements and allows more compact designs[7]. Silicon carbide is also used for DC/DC converters and onboard chargers, enabling these components to be smaller, lighter, and more efficient than traditional silicon-based counterparts[7].

One of SiC's key advantages is its ability to operate at higher switching frequencies, improving energy efficiency and contributing to better thermal stability, allowing the converters and chargers to function reliably under intense operating conditions[7]. For OEMs, this means increased design flexibility, as SiC-based components free up space and reduce weight, enabling a more streamlined vehicle design without compromising on power[7]. By lowering power losses and boosting energy conversion efficiency, SiC can also help extend the vehicle's driving range[7].

The applications of SiC are quickly expanding to other parts of the EV ecosystem, and its high-power density and heat tolerance make it well-suited for electric mobility applications beyond inverters and converters[7]. As the EV industry continues to mature, SiC is expected to see broader applications in various vehicle components, supporting thermal management systems or advanced battery solutions[7]. Its durability and thermal resistance make it ideal for use in harsher environments, ensuring reliable performance over extended periods[7].

Improvements in Manufacturing Processes

Innovative new processes are creating gains in productivity and boosts in process efficiency in the silicon carbide manufacturing industry[10]. One of the most prominent gains is in the post-production processing of Silicon Carbide boules, the raw product of synthetic silicon carbide production[10].

Traditionally, after the cylindrically shaped boule is extracted from the crucible, a diamond saw is used to remove the dome-shaped end pieces, and further post-production processes are used to remove material from the outside diameter (OD) of the boule[10]. High-quality diamond saws typically cost around $2 million, and the process typically takes several hours[10]. The material properties of Silicon Carbide prevent it from being clamped on the outside diameter (OD) or processed between centers to remove material from the OD[10].

Chip manufacturers can now process the faces and OD's of Silicon Carbide boules faster than ever before, and perhaps with greater precision[10]. Machines have been equipped with an X-ray measuring head to align the crystal plane before removing material to ensure the maximum yield from each boule while minimizing waste[10].

Bosch's Role in Silicon Carbide Chip Production

Bosch has been producing semiconductors continuously for over 50 years[11]. Its Reutlingen, Germany facility is currently the company's sole production site for silicon carbide chips[11]. Bosch plans to significantly expand its production capacities of this key technology with the acquisition of an existing wafer fab in Roseville, California[11]. The company plans to invest some 1.5 billion U.S. dollars to convert the new fab to state-of-the-art silicon carbide chip manufacturing[11]. After the upgrade, Roseville will make SiC chips on 200mm wafers, which are considered the gold standard for their superior cost-effectiveness and higher production volumes[11].

Conclusion

Silicon carbide chips are revolutionizing various industries, from electric vehicles to power electronics, due to their superior properties[7][3]. Companies like STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and Wolfspeed are at the forefront of SiC chip manufacturing, continuously innovating to meet the growing demand[1][9]. With ongoing advancements in manufacturing processes and expanding applications, silicon carbide is poised to play an increasingly crucial role in the future of technology[10][7].

Silicon Carbide Chips

FAQ

1. What are the primary advantages of using silicon carbide in power electronics?

Silicon carbide (SiC) offers several advantages in power electronics, including the ability to withstand high voltages (up to ten times higher than silicon), higher thermal conductivity, higher electron mobility, and lower power losses[3]. SiC devices can also operate at higher frequencies and temperatures without compromising reliability[3].

2. In what applications are SiC devices commonly used?

SiC devices are commonly used in applications such as converters, inverters, power supplies, battery chargers, and motor control systems[3]. In electric vehicles, SiC is used in the inverter, DC/DC converter, and on-board charger[7].

3. What are the main steps in the silicon carbide chip manufacturing process?

The main steps in the SiC chip manufacturing process include injection mask, iron implantation, making the grid, making a passivation layer, and making drain source electrodes[2]. These steps involve depositing various layers on the wafer, implanting ions, and creating the necessary structures for the chip to function[2].

4. Which companies are the leading manufacturers of silicon carbide chips?

The leading manufacturers of silicon carbide chips include STMicroelectronics, Infineon, Wolfspeed, Onsemi, and ROHM[1]. These companies have a significant global presence and employ various strategies to strengthen their position in the market[1].

5. How is silicon carbide contributing to the electric vehicle industry?

Silicon carbide is contributing to the electric vehicle industry by enhancing power electronics, particularly in the inverter, DC/DC converter, and on-board charger[7]. SiC-based components improve power efficiency, extend driving ranges, and support more compact designs[7].