On June 28, according to Korean media reports, STMicroelectronics (ST) will upgrade its silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor production process from 6 inches to 8 inches starting from the third quarter of next year. The plan aims to increase production and productivity and supply SiC power semiconductors to the market at a competitive price.
Francesco Muggeri, vice president of STMicroelectronics' power discrete and analog products division, said in an interview with reporters recently: "Currently, the mainstream size for producing SiC power semiconductors is 6 inches, but we plan to gradually shift to 8 inches starting from the third quarter of next year."
As wafer size increases, more chips can be produced per wafer, and the production cost of each chip decreases. SiC wafers are gradually changing from 6 inches to 8 inches.
STMicroelectronics plans to transition to 8-inch SiC wafers at its Catania, Italy, fab in the third quarter of next year, followed by its fab in Singapore. The Chinese fab, a joint venture with Sanan Optoelectronics, is expected to start producing 8-inch SiC wafers in the fourth quarter of the same year . Currently, SiC power semiconductors are in short supply and prices remain high, but this situation is expected to stabilize.
Muzeri said: "The products sold now are from orders placed more than two years ago, and the prices are very high, but the quotations after 2027 are 15-20% lower than now. SiC semiconductors have been priced in to a certain extent."
As for concerns about stagnant growth in the global electric vehicle market, he said there was no big impact. Slower growth in some of the fastest-growing countries, such as Europe, the United States and South Korea, temporarily reduced demand, but did not cause a significant drop in semiconductor demand, he said.
“The number of semiconductors used in automotive production has increased, and demand for SiC power semiconductors remains strong,” said Muzeri. “In the case of electric vehicles, driving range can be increased by 18-20% when using SiC power semiconductors, and the adoption rate of future vehicles is expected to increase from the current 15% to 60%.”
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