Infineon processes 300 mm SiC wafers into functional power devices

Infineon Technologies has processed 300 mm silicon carbide (SiC) wafers into functional power devices at its fab in Villach, Austria, using existing silicon manufacturing equipment.

Infineon says it is the first company to reach this milestone in a full-scale semiconductor fab environment. A 300 mm wafer yields 2.3 times as many chips as a 200 mm wafer.

Infineon’s CoolSiC portfolio addresses traction inverters, on-board chargers, EV chargers, large-scale energy storage, industrial drives and uninterruptible power supplies, as well as solid-state transformers, circuit breakers and power supply units in AI data centers.

Infineon has also demonstrated the feasibility of its Cold Split technology on 300 mm SiC at its site in Dresden, Germany. Cold Split separates wafers from a SiC boule. Infineon says the process causes less material loss and takes substantially less processing time than conventional wire sawing, so more wafers can be obtained from the same crystal with less capital expenditure.

Infineon says the milestone demonstrates the potential of future full-scale industrialization of SiC on 300 mm wafers. The company will plan the 300 mm SiC technology and ramp timing with customers and partners while continuing its 200 mm SiC roadmap.

On October 27, Infineon announced an investment of about €1.1 billion in a high-volume manufacturing facility for gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors on 300 mm wafers in Villach.

“This technological milestone further strengthens our leadership in power systems,” said Jochen Hanebeck, CEO of Infineon Technologies. “Congratulations and thank you to our passionate team, making significant progress in bringing 300-millimeter SiC out of the lab into a manufacturing environment. Leadership in power semiconductors means continuously pushing technology to the next level. With silicon, gallium nitride and now silicon carbide 300-millimeter wafers, we are in a leading position to scale semiconductor manufacturing and drive profitable growth.”

Source: Infineon Technologies