Sic Wafer Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The SiC wafer market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.60% to reach US$1.299 billion in 2029 from US$0.331 billion in 2022.

SiC wafers are silicon carbide semiconductors. The wide bandgap of silicon carbide (SiC) makes it suitable for high-power applications. SiC substrates are frequently the foundation for high-performance power ICs. SiC enhances the performance of electrical devices by withstanding higher temperatures than silicon or gallium nitride (GaN). Today's semiconductor business is rapidly increasing, which implies that wafer supply is critical to success. Chipmakers are increasingly resorting to both in-house and external sources to generate the requisite SiC wafers to meet the increased demand for SiC semiconductors.

Market Drivers

Growing applicability in EV application has propelled the market growth.

To meet customer expectations, new EVs in the automotive sector feature shorter charge times, longer ranges, and better performance. To provide the benefits listed above to customers, automobile businesses need powerful electronic components capable of effective and efficient functioning at high temperatures. Due to the benefits of SiC-based technology, such as its high thermal conductivity, low switching losses, improved power density, and increased bandwidth capabilities, power modules are now being created employing wide-bandgap SiC technologies. Soitec introduced its first 200 mm silicon carbide SmartSiC wafer in May 2022, and with the release, Soitec was able to expand its line of SiC products beyond 150 mm, advance the research and development of its SmartSiC wafers, and meet the expanding needs of the automobile industry.

The exclusive SmartSiC technology from Soitec allows power electronics equipment to work much better and increases the energy economy of electric vehicles. The technique entails attaching a very thin layer of superior SiC to a polySiC wafer with extremely low resistance. Furthermore, Germany is known for its engineering prowess, and the country's automotive sector is essential to the world's shift to electric mobility. recognizing this as a chance In collaboration with the German automotive supplier ZF, American chipmaker Wolfspeed announced its plans to construct a 200-mm silicon carbide (SiC) wafer fab and R&D facility in Saarland, Germany in February 2023. For the whole power electronics sector, including the automotive, industrial, and renewable energy applications, the facility will concentrate on next-generation SiC products and processes.

The 6-inch Sic wafer size is predicted to account for a significant share.

SiC power semiconductors outperform traditional silicon-based power semiconductors, the industry standard at the moment, in terms of heat resistance and high withstanding voltage. SiC power semiconductor helps power modules become smaller and more energy efficient. As a result, SiC power semiconductors are in high demand across many industries, particularly for usage in xEVs, railcars, and industrial machinery. Most n-type SiC substrates used for power semiconductor devices have a diameter of 6 inches. Even though the development of 8-inch SiC wafers has seen significant progress from major IDMs, more time is still needed to raise yield rates and convert power semiconductor fabs' 6-inch production lines to 8-inch production lines.

So, for the foreseeable future, 6-inch SiC substrates are likely to stay popular. For instance, in March 2022, SDK began mass production of silicon carbide single crystal wafers (SiC wafers) with a diameter of 6 inches (150 mm). Customers choosing SDK's SiC epitaxial wafers led to the decision to begin internal mass manufacturing of 6-inch SiC wafers.

Asia Pacific region is estimated to have the fastest growth rate.

Due to its dominance of the worldwide semiconductor business and the support of capital investment, the Asia Pacific is a significant region in the global SiC wafer market. Due to the demand from the EV industry, Japanese companies are investing heavily to enhance the manufacturing of SiC power semiconductors. For instance, to boost the production of SiC power semiconductors, in January 2022, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. announced that it has decided to make a capital investment in Fuji Electric Tsugaru Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

In addition, Japan has been a center for technological innovation in the production of SiC wafers and continues to develop new products to boost output. For instance, the industrial control business Nanotronics announced the release of its most recent photoluminescence system, the nSpecTM PRISM, in December 2022. By removing the need for harmful testing techniques like KOH etching, this addition to the Nanotronics product line provides a comprehensive solution for SiC frontend wafer manufacture from unpolished SiC substrate to epitaxy and device manufacturing. For high-volume inspection of SiC killer defects such as micropipes and dislocations, the system specializes in coupling transmission and PL microscopy.

Key Development

• In September 2022: The next-generation G10-SiC 200 mm product solution for silicon carbide epitaxy was introduced by AIXTRON. The new G10-SiC system is based on the well-established G5 WW C 150 mm platform and offers a configurable dual wafer size option. The SiC industry's move from 150 mm (6 inches) to 200 mm (8 inches) wafer diameter depends on this feature. The new platform is based on an automated wafer cassette-to-cassette loading method that transfers wafers at high temperatures. The G10SiC offers best-in-class wafer throughput and throughput per square meter when combined with fast growth rate process capabilities to effectively utilize the constrained cleanroom area available in semiconductor fabs.

Segmentation:

By Size

• 2 to 4 inches
• 6 inches
• 8 to 12 inches

By Application

• Communication
• Power & Energy
• Automotive
• Consumer Electronics
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Australia
• Others