A $800M device market by 2015
The release of an SiC switch will launch this market and drive new developments in the automotive, industrial and IT fields. A $800M device market is thus forecasted by 2015.
It is now clear that the relative stagnation of the SiC power device market is partially due to a lack of reliable transistor technology. PFC business is the only one driving SiC device sales and the perspective for higher market penetration is mainly linked to decreasing device cost. Others applications are requesting a complete SiC switching cell (diode and transistor).
MOSFET has been investigated by major SiC R&D teams, but it seems more and more certain that JFET or BJT technologies may be released first on the market. With an expected SiC switch introduction by 2010, we forecast that SiC electronics can easily generate $800M revenues by 2015.
With the recent introduction of 4” diameter SiC material coupled with the ZMP® (Zero MicroPipe) technology acquired from IntrinSiC, US based Cree is now marketing a product able to fit with the power device makers main requirements. However, few of them have already entered in the production phase, and with the exception of Cree, Infineon and newcomer STMicroelectronics, no other player is commercially active in this segment.
SiC material cost and low diameter has always been mentioned as a restraint to justify low interest from the big names of this industry. So, now that these 2 parameters are getting solved, the truth is out there and certainly not so far away from the switch…
SiC device business is not yet the most exciting money-maker activity. We estimate the SiC-based power electronic devices 2006 sales should have generated something around $15 million revenues.
The only product commercially available is Schottky diode (SBD), now reaching 1200V and 20A range. This component is targeting numerous possible applications but is mostly used in high-end PFC (Power Factor Corrector) systems where it brings some impressive added value like better power oscillation avoidance and removal of numerous passive discrete components.
SiC switch introduction should definitely boost the market
Diodes and switches are living quite well together and even if the hybrid approach SiC-Silicon is an alternative, full SiC electronics are highly requested for numerous applications. To highlight this, hybrid electrical vehicle (HEV) is today using silicon-based IGBT and diodes in the inverter module to power the electric motor (30-50kW and more). This silicon chipset has to be cooled-down by a water based system to maintain device junction temperature around 85°C. However, it has to use a dedicated water-cooling system, different from the one in charge of the engine that can handle higher temperatures. One of the objectives of HEV car makers is to simplify this setup by implementing SiC-based electronics that can easily withstand 150°C and more. It will then allow using a single water-cooling system instead of 2. About 15% money saving on the power module could be so achieved. That approach only goes with a full-SiC electronics chipset and wont be realistic with an SiC-Silicon solution. In terms of requirements for this particular application, 1200V/100A SiC single chips would fit perfectly…
Up to now, main R&D efforts have been oriented to release the SiC MOSFET. Lots of announcements have been made (Rohm, Cree, Acreo, Toshiba…) but as a conclusion, the oxide reliability and poor electronic mobility issues remain partially unsolved. Even if MOSFET remains the most studied device, alternatives exist and J-FET or BJT are also under the scope of prestigious R&D groups.
This report highlights the following topics:
- Detailed current market landcape and expected evolution for the following businesses:
- SiC materials: wafer and epi-wafer business
- SiC device technology:
- Schottky diodes
- MOSFET
- JFET
- BJT
- PiN diodes
- IGBT
- SiC power electronics markets:
- PFC, power supplies and UPS
- Hybrid automotive
- Solar panel and wind turbine
- Industry motor control
- Technical analysis of SiC devices in use in the related applications
- New players on the market playground
- Devices cost analysis
- Quantification of market opportunities in volumes and revenues for SiC substrates
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Description of the current structure of the Silicon Carbide industry, the applicative markets, the main business models and its possible evolutions…