Ssenic-Acretech Korea Strengthens SiC Wafer Market Penetration

Senic, a specialized company in SiC (silicon carbide) ingots and wafers for power semiconductors, announced on the 16th that it presented the development of new grinder and CMP technologies combining its wafer processing technology with Acretech Korea's equipment technology at the 'International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM 2023)' held last month in Sorrento, Italy.

SiC is a next-generation semiconductor material that offers superior durability compared to silicon (Si), making it advantageous for use in high-temperature and high-voltage environments. CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) refers to the process of planarizing (polishing) the fine irregularities on the SiC surface.

Senic explained that it attracted significant attention from SiC stakeholders worldwide by presenting successful demonstration tests using processing equipment for SiC 6-inch and 8-inch wafers at this event.

Although SiC boasts high power efficiency and excellent durability, its high cost has been pointed out as a drawback. Senic and Acretech Korea emphasized that by leveraging SiC-dedicated high-strength grinder and CMP technologies, they can enhance cost competitiveness and thus compensate for the disadvantages of SiC materials.

Lee Sang-cheol, CEO of Acretech Korea, stated, “Due to the nature of high-strength grinder and CMP equipment, which have excellent mass production efficiency, these can establish themselves as new core product lines. We expect a 50% improvement in mass production yield compared to existing process efficiency, which is anticipated to lead to adoption by domestic and international SiC-related companies.”

Meanwhile, according to market research firm TrendForce, the global SiC market size is expected to expand from $2.275 billion (approximately 3 trillion KRW) in 2023 to $5.328 billion (approximately 7 trillion KRW) in 2026.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.