China non ferrous furnace Manufacturers, Suppliers, Factory

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently confirmed a $544 million loan to SK Siltron, a semiconductor wafer manufacturer under SK Group.

Within the silicon carbide (SiC) industry chain, substrate suppliers hold significant leverage, primarily due to value distribution. SiC substrates account for 47% of the total value, followed by epitaxial layers at 23%, while device design and manufacturing constitute the remaining 30%. This inverted value chain stems from the high technological barriers inherent to substrate and epitaxial layer production. Three major challenges plague SiC substrate growth: stringent growth conditions, slow growth rates, and demanding crystallographic requirements. These complexities contribute to increased processing difficulty, ultimately resulting in low product yields and high costs. Furthermore, the epitaxial layer’s thickness and doping concentration are critical parameters directly impacting the final device performance.

Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth after oxygen. Most silicon is found in soil, rocks, natural water, trees, and plants.

Silicon material is a solid material with certain semiconductor electrical properties and physical stability, and provides substrate support for the subsequent integrated circuit manufacturing process. It is a key material for silicon-based integrated circuits. More than 95% of semiconductor devices and more than 90% of integrated circuits in the world are made on silicon wafers.

At present, the most important direction trend of substrate development is to expand the diameter. The 6-inch mass production line in the global SiC market is maturing, and leading companies have entered the 8-inch market.

4H-SiC, as a third-generation semiconductor material, is renowned for its wide bandgap, high thermal conductivity, and excellent chemical and thermal stability, making it highly valuable in high-power and high-frequency applications.