How power semiconductors are keeping the 200mm market alive

The semiconductor industry has created a sector called power semiconductors. With the growing demand for technologies like electric vehicles, charging stations, fast power charging devices, solar / wind industries, and even battery-powered portable devices used in everyday life. You can expect to continue seeing the term power semiconductors in the future. Semiconductors are typically made with Silicon (Si). Silicon has been great to use up to the point where we needed to use high power and to be able to withstand higher temperatures. Due to the makeup of silicon, it is limited in how it can be used in these applications with high heat and high voltage, but the industry has been working on solving this issue with substrates like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), also known as power semiconductors. Power semiconductors will change the industry as we know it in many different ways. One of the challenges the industry has faced in adopting power semiconductors is that power semiconductor wafers like SiC and GaN need to be grown using different methods and processes than silicon, which limits the diameter that they can grow the ingot. This means they can only currently make power semiconductor wafers in 200mm diameter and below. And, because the industry has largely moved on to manufacturing semiconductors on 300mm wafers, the power semiconductor industry has faced challenges in sourcing older equipment used for 200mm and below. Many original equipment makers have stopped making 200mm equipment. But, with the billions of dollars now backing this industry, power semiconductor manufacturers have options for sourcing 200mm equipment. For example, Moov Technologies Inc. , helps manufacturers around the globe buy and sell used and refurbished equipment from other fabs. Even original equipment manufacturers have started bringing back 200mm product manufacturing lines to meet demand.

According to Straits research, the global power semiconductor market was valued at $40 billion (USD) in 2020 and It is estimated to reach an expected value of $55 billion (USD) by 2030. Today, some of the biggest manufacturers are investing in the global power semiconductor market like 英飞凌 , 德州仪器 , 意法半导体 , 恩智浦半导体 , 安森美半导体 , 瑞萨电子 , 博通 , Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH , Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. , Wolfspeed , and ROHM Semiconductor Americas , just to name a few.

With companies like 英飞凌 investing 2 billion dollars, Wolfspeed investing 6.5 billion dollars, SK siltron css spending 300 million dollars, and SEMI announcing, the Global 200mm fab capacity is expected to surge by 20% through 2025. I would say the 200mm industry is alive and well, with a great future ahead with technology like power semiconductors driving the industry.

This Newsletter is sponsored by Moov Technologies Inc. follow Moov on Linkedin at https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/18803559/admin/ or check out the web page at www.Moov.co