Soitec has announced a new fabrication facility at its headquarters in Bernin, France, primarily to manufacture new silicon carbide (SiC) wafers for electric vehicle and industrial markets. The extension will also support Soitec's 300mm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) activities.
The new fab is to produce engineered wafers developed by Soitec using the company's proprietary SmartCut technology. Electronic chips built on this type of wafers offer compelling performance and energy efficiency gains to power supply systems, Soitec said.
And with its SmartSiC products, Soitec noted it is engaged with major SiC device makers and targets to generate first revenue in the second half of calendar year 2023.
"We expect that by 2030, around 40% of all new cars will be electric. Our unique, highly performant, sustainable and cost competitive SmartSiC solution addresses the industrial challenges, helps to optimize energy efficiency, and will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles," said Paul Boudre, Soitec CEO. "This investment is a major milestone for us as SmartSiC is set to be another growth engine for Soitec, and a driver of the transformation of the automotive and industrial markets."
