On Semiconductor equips to compete robustly in SiC semiconductor space
Date: 12/08/2022
Today's cutting-edge power-electronics part of electric vehicle design is about packing/ storing highest energy density and safely managing that energy either for charging, running the traction motor or powering other electrical and electronic devices in the car. To achieve these, automotive electronic engineers replacing silicon power semiconductor devices with silicon Carbide and gallium nitride semiconductor devices to achieve high power efficiency, high energy density and higher speed of switching. These multiple benefits are irresistible, though these devices are expensive compared to pure silicon devices. To give you some idea on the market, the SiC total addressable market is projected to reach $ 6.5 billion in 2026 from $ 2 billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 33%.
Mosy of the leading discrete semiconductor manufacturers have nearly switched to making compound semiconductor based power semiconductor devices.
One of the leading discrete semiconductor vendor On Semiconductor has announced inaugration of its siliconcarbide (SiC) semiconductor manufacturing facility in Hudson, New Hampshire, US, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. This ceremony was attended by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Also present were U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire, Representative Chris Pappas from the 1st congressional district of New Hampshire and Representative Annie Kuster from the 2nd congressional district of New Hampshire as well as other local governmental dignitaries.
This new fab to increase On Semi's SiC production capacity by five times year-over-year and almost quadruple the number of its employees in Hudson by the end of 2022. On Semi says this new facility gives full control of its silicon carbide manufacturing supply chain, starting with the sourcing of silicon carbide powder and graphite raw material to the delivery of fully packaged SiC devices. This allows onsemi to provide its customers with the assurance of supply required to meet rapidly growing demand for SiC-based solutions. SiC is critical for enabling efficiency in electric vehicles (Evs), EV charging, and energy infrastructure and is an important contributor on the path to decarbonization.
On Semi claims it is only a large scale semiconductor vendor to have end to end supply chain capability of SiC and insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices. On Semi is already made long-time supply agreements with its customers to have a committed siliconcarbide device revenue of $ 4 Billion. In 2021 ON Semi acquired GT Advanced Technologies, who makes SiC materials.
This is one of the side-effect of recent US CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to strengthen US semiconductor companies supply chain resiliency.
Author: Srinivasa Reddy N
