STMicroelectronics Manufactures First 200mm Silicon Carbide Wafers
July 27 2021 - 9:00AM
Transition to 200m wafers marks milestone in
capacity build-up to support automotive and industrial markets
in the electrification of their systems and products
Geneva, Switzerland, July 27,
2021 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a
global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum
of electronics applications, today announced it has manufactured
the first 200mm (8-inch) Silicon-Carbide (SiC) bulk wafers for
prototyping next-generation power devices from its facility in
Norrköping, Sweden. The transition to 200mm SiC wafers marks an
important milestone in the capacity build-up for ST’s customer
programs in automotive and industrial sectors and will consolidate
ST’s lead in the disruptive semiconductor technology that allows
for smaller, lighter, and more efficient power electronics with a
lower total cost of ownership.
Among the first in the world, ST’s initial 200mm SiC wafers are
also very high quality, with minimal yield-impacting and
crystal-dislocation defects. The low defectivity has been achieved
by building on the excellent know-how and expertise in SiC ingot
growth technology developed by STMicroelectronics Silicon Carbide
A.B. (formerly Norstel A.B., which ST acquired in 2019). In
addition to meeting the quality challenge, the transition to 200mm
SiC substrates requires a step forward in manufacturing equipment
and the overall support ecosystem performance. ST, in collaboration
with technology partners covering the entire supply chain, is
developing its own 200mm SiC manufacturing equipment and
processes.
ST currently manufactures its leading-edge, high-volume STPOWER
SiC products on two 150mm wafer lines in its fabs in Catania
(Italy) and Ang Mo Kio (Singapore) and performs assembly and test
at its back-end sites in Shenzhen (China) and Bouskoura (Morocco).
This milestone comes as part of the Company’s planned move to more
advanced, cost-efficient 200mm SiC volume production. This
transition is within the Company’s ongoing plan to build a new SiC
substrate plant and source over 40% of its SiC substrates
internally by 2024.
“The transition to 200mm SiC wafers will bring substantial
advantages to our automotive and industrial customers as they
accelerate the transition towards electrification of their systems
and products”, said Marco Monti, President Automotive and Discrete
Group, STMicroelectronics. “It is important in driving economies of
scale as product volumes ramp. Building robust know-how in our
internal SiC ecosystem across the full manufacturing chain, from
high-quality SiC substrates to large-scale front- and back-end
production, boosts our flexibility and allows us to better control
the improvement of yield and quality of the wafers.”
Notes to
Editors
Silicon Carbide is a compound semiconductor material with
intrinsic properties providing superior performance and efficiency
over silicon in key, high-growth power applications for
electro-mobility (e-mobility) and industrial processes, among
others. ST’s leadership in SiC is the result of 25 years of focus
and commitment in R&D with more than 70 patents. The disruptive
technology allows for more efficient power conversion, lighter and
more compact designs, and overall system-design cost savings - all
key parameters and factors for success in automotive and industrial
systems. 200mm wafers enable a capacity increase, with almost twice
the useful area for manufacturing integrated circuits compared to
150mm wafers, delivering 1.8 - 1.9 times as many working chips.
About STMicroelectronicsAt ST,
we are 46,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies
mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art
manufacturing facilities. An independent device manufacturer, we
work with more than 100,000 customers and thousands of partners to
design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address
their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more
sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more
efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale
deployment of the Internet of Things and 5G technology. Further
information can be found at www.st.com.
For further information, please
contact:
INVESTOR RELATIONS:Céline BerthierGroup VP,
Investor RelationsTel : +41.22.929.58.12celine.berthier@st.com
MEDIA RELATIONS:Alexis BretonCorporate External
CommunicationsTel: + 33 6 59 16 79 08alexis.breton@st.com
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