Silicon carbide (SiC) firm Arche said on Monday that it plans to start mass production of SiC epiwafers this year.
SiC epiwafer, or epitaxial wafer, is used in the production of power management ICs.
Arche was founded in 2014 with the aim to supply the wafer to chipmakers and last year secured 10 billion won in funding.
The company uses G4 deposition equipment made by Germany’s Aixtron, a key machinery used to make SiC epiwafer from SiC wafer.
Arche said it plans to add the new G5 deposition machine to its production line by March.
It will work on ramp up and stabilization of yield with the new machinery and start mass production during the fourth quarter of this year.
If it succeeds, the company will become the first among South Korean companies to produce SiC epiwafer locally.
Arche is preparing to produce 650V and 1200V SiC epiwafer production.
It plans to add 3000V, 6000V, and later 12000V SiC epiwafer __ which is used in power management IC for aerospace and military applications.
SiC is more durable than silicon and demand for SiC power management ICs has increased in recent years thanks to the rising popularity of electric cars.
Demand from 5G and other advanced applications is also on the rise.
SiC power management IC can maintain over 98% power conversion efficiency even at high temperatures and high pressure.
They are considered the “next-generation” of the currently widely used power management ICs that are made of silicon.
