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How SiC will impact electronics
Yole Développement updated its new Voltage apps will slowly appear from 2013- present on the market place proposing
markets & technological study dedicated to 2014 along with technology improvement products with state of the art specs and
silicon carbide industry. Yole’s report details and cost reduction. competitive pricing”, explained Dr Roussel.
major market metrics of the current and
projected SiC device and substrate The entrance of SiC in the promising Yole Développement assesses that the
business, describing the targeted EV/HEV field has been postponed to 2014 technical gap between yesterday’s leaders
applications, the key players, the supply as no switch has reached large volume and today’s challengers is decreasing day
chain, the volumes and related market size production yet and car makers are still by day. 4” wafers are now at full production
of each segment. It gives the possible total improving silicon IGBT technology. at CREE and in final qualification phase at
accessible market for SiC electronics, Moreover, most of the current or new II-VI, Dow Corning and Nippon Steel. 6” is
highlighting the strengths and weaknesses entrant EV/HEV manufacturers are working already announced by 2010. 150 mm wafers
of this technology over the current on both GaN and SiC for their next gen will definitely accelerate the cost reduction
established silicon technologies. It inverters and no choice has been validated of SiC device manufacturing.
describes the recent progress of device yet. In the 600-1200 V range, promising
technologies as well as the new challenges GaN technologies might threaten SiC. Transistor availability is the key condition to
offered by 4” and 6” substrates. However, SiC industry maturity should envision significant market growth.
protect it from frontal competition at least According to recent announcements from
SiC challenges a $2.6B silicon device for the 2 next years. The total SiC substrate CREE, SemiSouth, TranSiC, Rohm or
market that is part of the overall $12B Si merchant market, including both n-type and Mitsubishi, Yole Développement remains
based power discrete business (2008). S.I. has reached roughly $48M in 2008. confident that 2010 will see first commercial
Today the largest applications in potential According to Yole Développement’s volume offers in MOSFET, J-FET or BJT.
revenue remain Power Supply PFC, UPS analysis, it is expected to exceed $300M in
and Motor AC drives. Tomorrow, EV/HEV a decade. CREE stays ahead of the Once this condition is met, the SiC device
and inverters for PV installations will take competition, but its relative market share on industry will have to cut the cost to fit with
the lead exhibiting higher CAGR the open market is shrinking as II- VI, client expectations. 2 parameters will have
(>15%/year). SiCrystal and several new entrants are to be improved:
gaining momentum in the substrate battle. • SiC substrate $/mm
2
cost
However, cost issues slow down SiC • SiC device manufacturing cost and yield,
penetration and Yole Développement only Yole Développement saw the emergence of with a particular emphasis on epitaxy
forecasts approximately 4% of the overall 2 new entrants in SiC substrates in 2008: process.
Silicon based power discrete market to be N-Crystals (Russia) and Xiamen Powerway
displaced by SiC in 2019. Advanced Material Co., Ltd (China) who are The adoption of the SiC technology will also
manufacturing and marketing 2” and 3” SiC have to go through the severe qualification
“Low Voltage applications (< 1.2kV) are substrates 4H & 6H in both S.I. or n-type process of the industry (especially in the
representing over 99% of today SiC device doping. Early 2009, another Chinese automotive sector). There, progress on
sales but Yole Développement anticipates a company, TankeBlue, announced impressive reliability and robustness must fit the current
huge increase of Medium Voltage progress on scale up production of 3” SiC silicon standards. If all conditions are
applications (1.2kV-1.7kV) in the next 2 wafers, exhibiting micropipe density < passed, then Yole Développement can
years” says Dr Philippe Roussel, Project 10/cm
2
. “This let us think that Chinese forecast $800M market size for SiC devices
Manager at Yole Développement. High companies are becoming more and more in a decade from now.
Metal Sealed Digital Mass Flow Controller
Bronkhorst High-Tech B.V. manufactures Metal sealed mass flow meters/controllers functionality, providing (OEM-) customers
metal sealed mass flow meters/controllers, can be supplied in ranges starting from with optimal flexibility and process
designed especially to meet the 0.1…5 sccm up to 0.6…100 slm (based on efficiency.
requirements of the semicon market as well N
2
) or even higher on request.
as other high purity gas applications. For the convenience of the customer
The instruments feature high surface quality Todays instruments are equipped with a Bronkhorst provides free and easy-to-use
and are of modular construction with metal- digital pc-board, offering high accuracy, configuration software tools.
to-metal seals that ensure long-term leak excellent temperature stability and fast In addition to the standard RS232 output
tightness. Now, as an alternative to response (settling time down to 500 msec). the instruments also offer analog I/O.
traditional face seal fittings, optional The main digital pc-board contains all of the Furthermore, an optionally integrated
downport connections (c-seal/w-seal) are general functions needed for measurement interface board provides DeviceNet,
offered to reduce mounting space, while and control. The latest EL-FLOW design Profibus-DP, Modbus-RTU or FLOW-BUS
facilitating installation and maintenance. features Multi Gas / Multi Range protocols.
14 www.compoundsemiconductor.net October 2009
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