Markets for Silicon Carbide

Devices
Olivier Nowak, WTC Wicht Technologie Consulting, Munich
EPE 2005
September 12, 2005

Agenda
1 Context
2 Markets
3 Drivers and Challenges
4 Conclusion

WTC Wicht Technologie Consulting

Consulting company
specialising in marketing of
MEMS and microelectronics

Some customers
Infineon
Matsushita

Founded in 2000

Sss MicroTec

Located in Munich

EVG

Business

CEA LETI

Market analysis
Business development
Strategy planning
Setup of EU projects

8 consultants

ARC Seibersdorf

Studies
NEXUS MST market
analysis
RF MEMS
SiC

Position of SiC on the hype curve

2009
today
SiC diodes ramping
up, transistors
starting
Technology
trigger

Peak of
Trough of
Slope of
Plateau of
inflated disillusionmenenlightenmen productivit
expectation
t
t
y
Tim
s

Thanks to the Gartner Group for formalising the

hype curve

Visibility

Ca. 1997
First SiC wafers

Industry players for SiC devices

Wide bandgap specialists
e.g. Cree, Intrinsic, Semisouth, SiCED

Semiconductor companies
e.g. Infineon, Toshiba, Hitachi, STMicroelectronics, Fairchild, Rohm

Suppliers of aerospace/defense industry

e.g. Dynex, International Rectifiers, Microsemi, Kulite

System companies
e.g. General Electric, Rockwell Scientific, Areva, Siemens

Car makers/suppliers
e.g. Toyota/Nippondenso, Nissan

and suppliers of SiC

wafers

SiC Products and R&D

Schottky
diodes
$10m already
Cree
Infineon/SiCED
Dynex
EcoTron
GE
Mitsubishi
Rohm
Semisouth
Int. Rectifier
Rockwell
STMicroelectroni
cs

PiN diodes
Soon (< 2
years)

Thyristor
s
Cree
GE

Cree
GE
Rockwell

SiC
devices
MESFET
$3m already
Cree
New Japan
Radio

MOSFET
Before 2009
JFET/SIT
emerging
Northrop
Semisouth
Cree
Infineon/SiCE
D
Hitachi
Intrinsic
Toshiba
Rockwell,

Cree
Fairchild
Mitsubishi
Nippondenso
Philips
Rohm

BJT

Market for SiC devices

2004: $13m
2009: $53m
Annual growth rate ~25%
diodes, transistors
Main applications
Power supplies
Power amplifiers
Motor drives (in 2009)

Negligible contributions
from non-power devices

20042009 market for SiC

devices

Non-power SiC devices

Gas sensors
Research by AppliedSensor (S) for automotive exhaust gas
Availability >> 5 years

UV sensors (market < $500K)

Gas sensor from

Boston
Microelectronics

Two devices (sglux, IFW) available, based on Cree chips

Small area limits applications

Pressure sensors

UV sensor from IFW

On-demand production by Kulite

R&D by FLX Micro, STMicroelectronics

Radiation sensors
Prototype by Westinghouse (Siemens)

Pressure sensor from

Kulite

Drivers for SiC Markets

Smaller power supplies
Increased reliability a bonus
Ever hungrier microprocessors

Energy-efficient motor drives

SiC diodes a first step, combination SiC diode+SiC transistor is target
Smaller size a bonus
Industry and household (air conditioner) applications

High (ambient) temperature operation not a major driver

SOI is enough for automotive (at least for now)
Aerospace up to 300C also with SOI
Niche markets above >400C require packaging

Market challenges
Situation
In practice only one source of wafers
which also happens to commercialise devices

Price too high

Prognosis
Getting better after
2007
Slow improvement

Still several times that of comparably rated Si

devices

Using SiC needs redesign

SOI entrenched
Patent lock stifling market
Diodes especially

No way around
As long as price issue
remains
Repeat

Applications fields and preferred active materials

Power (non-RF):
Low power: Si
High power, mass markets: SOI
High value, high reliability (IT, medical): SiC

High temperature
<200C: SOI
200-400C: undecided (active-cooled SOI or SiC)
> 400C: SiC, when R&D is over

RF power: undecided (GaN? SiC? LDMOS? GaAs?)

Conclusion
~$13m SiC device market in 2004
~75% Schottky diodes
Expected to grow to >$50m in 2009

Technical challenges are receding, but economic challenges

remain
Scarcity of wafer sources
Cost of redesign

Role casting of materials is emerging

SiC for niche power
GaN for RF power (t.b.c.)
SOI for power and high temperature

Most common application of SiC as a semiconductor material is

as a substrate for GaN (uses >90% of wafer production)
Today LEDs and LD, possibly HEMT tomorrow

Silicon Carbide Electronics Markets 20042009

Available now from WTC
220 pages
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Contact:
Olivier Nowak
olivier.nowak@wtc-consult.de