X-FAB and Soitec Collaborate on SiC Wafers

Collaboration between Soitec and X-FAB is set to revolutionize the manufacturing of SiC power devices, following the successful completion of the assessment phase. During this phase, SiC power devices were manufactured at X-FAB Texas on 150mm SmartSiC™ wafers. Soitec will now offer X-FAB’s customers easy access to the SmartSiC™ substrate through a joint supply chain consignment model.

SmartSiC™, a proprietary technology developed by Soitec, is based on the company’s innovative SmartCut™ process. This process involves splitting off a thin layer of a high-quality monocrystalline (mono-SiC) ‘donor’ wafer and bonding it to a low resistivity polycrystalline (poly-SiC) ‘handle’ wafer. The resulting substrate offers enhanced device performance and manufacturing yields. Moreover, the process allows for multiple re-uses of a single donor wafer, leading to a significant reduction in cost and related CO2 emissions.

In response to the growing demand in the market, Soitec is scaling up production of SmartSiC™ substrates at its new plant in Bernin, near Grenoble, France. Concurrently, X-FAB is expanding its production capacity for SiC devices at the Lubbock plant. By utilizing the SmartSiC™ substrate, X-FAB’s customers can design smaller devices, thereby improving efficiency through an increased number of dies per wafer. Additionally, the reduced CO2 emissions from the substrate manufacturing process align with X-FAB’s commitment to reducing its overall carbon footprint.

Sophie Le-Guyadec, VP Procurement of X-FAB, emphasizes the company's dedication to providing customers with opportunities to design innovative SiC devices for various applications. She states, “As the leading SiC foundry, we want to provide our customers the full range of opportunities to design innovative and robust SiC devices for electric vehicles, renewable power and industrial applications. To offer the most advanced silicon carbide processes and manufacturing capabilities, we jointly agreed to provide our customers easy access to Soitec’s innovative SmartSiC™ via a consignment model.”

Emmanuel Sabonnadiere, Soitec Executive Vice President Automotive and Industry, highlights the synergy between Soitec’s SmartSiC substrates and X-FAB’s foundry services in meeting the increasing demand for new SiC products. He comments, “Soitec’s SmartSiC substrates and X-FAB’s foundry services are a perfect fit to meet increasing demand for new SiC products. This cooperation is a significant milestone for the deployment of SmartSiC in the U.S. market and internationally, thanks to X-FAB’s global footprint.”