GlobiTech selects AIXTRON for expansion into the SiC market

GlobiTech selects AIXTRON for expansion into the SiC market

AIXTRON’s G10-SiC enables leading foundry to ramp its SiC epitaxy production into high volume.

Herzogenrath, September 18, 2023 – AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA, ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6) supports GlobiTech Inc. (“GlobiTech”), one of the world's largest silicon-epitaxy foundries, to expand their business into silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxy. AIXTRON’s new G10-SiC has enabled this global leader to quickly ramp its SiC epitaxy production into high volume to address the world’s increasing demand for power epi-wafers. GlobiTech’s selection of the G10-SiC means a future-proof investment based on dual wafer size configuration of 9x150 & 6x200 mm and the highest throughput per fab space available in the SiC industry today.

The G10-SiC was officially introduced in September 2022. And it has quickly become the tool of record for both 150mm and 200mm SiC device makers as well as foundries like GlobiTech, the wholly owned subsidiary of GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. (“GlobalWafers”), which manufactures silicon carbide and silicon epitaxial wafers focused on power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments.

"When one of the largest manufacturers and foundries like GlobiTech diversifies its business, it is a clear signal of a long-lasting trend in the semiconductor industry: conventional silicon is being replaced by silicon carbide in an ever-increasing number of applications. And it makes us proud when a leading company such as GlobiTech chooses AIXTRON and our new G10-SiC as an enabler of its transition into this emerging SiC market. It confirms our overall strategy and the prospects for further growth”, says Dr. Felix Grawert, CEO and President of AIXTRON SE.

GlobiTech, located in Sherman, TX, is already in high-volume production using both G5WW C and G10-SiC AIXTRON systems, with continued installation capacity over the next years. Modeled after the silicon business, GlobiTech supplies both SiC substrates and SiC epitaxy to the market.

“In AIXTRON, we have found a strong partner supporting us in our vision and plans to expand our business into the SiC epitaxy market – an important step as SiC technology is one of the fastest-growing semiconductor sectors. AIXTRON tools allow us to get the most wafers out of our current fab. And AIXTRON’s team understands what it takes to compete against silicon to grow this market while offering great customer support and service”, says Mark England, President of GlobalWafers.

The G10-SiC is the first SiC epitaxy tool on the market that truly enables high-volume production of SiC epi-wafers.  Since the G10-SiC offers both 9x150 mm and 6x200 mm batch configurations, it is an instrumental tool for a market rapidly transitioning from 6-inch (150mm) to 8-inch (200 mm) wafer diameters. The new platform is built around AIXTRON’s proven automated wafer cassette-to-cassette loading solution with high-temperature wafer transfer. Combined with high growth rate process capabilities, the G10-SiC provides best-in-class wafer throughput, an excellent epi wafer performance in terms of quality and uniformity, and the best throughput per square meter of fab space. All this leads to the lowest cost of ownership in the market.  It is estimated that in 2023, the new G10-SiC will become AIXTRON’s top-selling product.

The wide-bandgap material SiC is set to become mainstream technology for efficient power electronics. Driven by the growing adoption of SiC-based power semiconductors within e-mobility solutions and the overall acceleration of the charging infrastructure, the global demand for SiC wafers is growing rapidly. And with its superior characteristics, SiC semiconductors offer higher energy efficiency than conventional power electronics based on silicon. Therefore, SiC significantly contributes to reducing the global CO₂ footprint.

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About AIXTRON

AIXTRON SE is a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry. The Company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Herzogenrath (near Aachen), Germany, with subsidiaries and sales offices in Asia, United States, and in Europe. AIXTRON´s technology solutions are used by a diverse range of customers worldwide to build advanced components for electronic and optoelectronic applications based on compound or organic semiconductor materials. Such components are used in a broad range of innovative applications, technologies and industries. These include Laser and LED applications, display technologies, data transmission, SiC and GaN power management and conversion, communication, signaling and lighting as well as a range of other leading-edge applications.

Our registered trademarks: AIXACT®, AIXTRON®, Atomic Level SolutionS®, Close Coupled Showerhead®, CRIUS®, Gas Foil Rotation®, OVPD®, Planetary Reactor®, PVPD®, TriJet®

For further information on AIXTRON (FSE: AIXA, ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6) please visit our website at: www.aixtron.com

About GlobalWafers

GlobalWafers is a multinational corporation, with 17 manufacturing and operation sites located in 9 countries. GlobalWafers has a wholly-owned subsidiary, GlobiTech, located in Sherman, which manufactures silicon carbide and silicon epitaxial wafers focused on power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments. Additionally in the United States, GlobalWafers has a 200-millimeter silicon-on-insulator wafer factory located in St. Peters, Missouri, and is in the process of a 300-millimeter silicon-on-insulator expansion to address burgeoning radio frequency (RF) applications.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements regarding the business, results of operations, financial condition and earnings outlook of AIXTRON. These statements may be identified by words such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “contemplate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “continue” and “estimate” and variations of such words or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assessments, expectations and assumptions, of which many are beyond control of AIXTRON, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Should these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements of AIXTRON may materially vary from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. This could result from a variety of factors, such as actual customer orders received by AIXTRON, the level of demand for deposition technology in the market, the timing of final acceptance of products by customers, the condition of financial markets and access to financing for AIXTRON, general conditions in the market for deposition plants and macroeconomic conditions, cancellations, rescheduling or delays in product shipments, production capacity constraints, extended sales and qualification cycles, difficulties in the production process, the general development in the semi-conductor industry, increased competition, fluctuations in exchange rates, availability of public funding, fluctuations and/or changes in interest rates, delays in developing and marketing new products, a deterioration of the general economic situation and any other factors discussed in any reports or other announcements , in particular in the chapter Risks in the Annual Report, filed by AIXTRON. Any forward-looking statements contained in this document are based on current expectations and projections of the executive board based on information available the date hereof. AIXTRON undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless expressly required to do so by law. 

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