【Media Interview】Interpreting ON Semiconductor's opportunities in the field of silicon carbide

ON Semiconductor has launched a wide range of Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and SiC diodes using multiple generations of technology. All of our SiC devices meet AECQ101 automotive specifications to ensure the highest quality.

• 650V SiC diode

• 1200V SiC diode

• 1700V SiC diode

• 650V SiC MOSFET (samples available now, new this year)

• 750V SiC MOSFET (samples available now, new this year)

• 900V SiC MOSFET

• 1200V SiC MOSFET

• 1700V SiC MOSFET (samples available now, new this year)

In order to provide best-in-class performance, capacity and cost, the SiC supply chain needs to be controlled. Therefore, mainstream SiC manufacturers focus on the entire supply chain, and ON Semiconductor is one of the mainstream SiC suppliers. The supply chain is only part of creating SiC devices. In addition, there are differences in design, manufacturing, packaging and market support among integrated device manufacturers (IDMs). For example, there are multiple ways to grow crystals and epitaxial layers (Epi). When using SiC, packaging becomes a limiting factor that limits the device rating. For example, SiC can operate at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius, but the packaging rating is below 200 degrees Celsius.

ON Semiconductor continues to focus on industrial, automotive and cloud computing applications. In all of these applications, the number of end products using SiC is increasing every day. The system advantages of using SiC have been realized in applications where we initially thought SiC was unlikely to be used. Our application examples outside of traditional on-board charging, electric vehicle charging piles, photovoltaics and cloud computing include professional audio, professional lighting, medical, power tools, appliances, motors, etc.

ON Semiconductor is pleased to collaborate with industry leaders in the SiC materials space. As demand for SiC continues to increase, it is important to expand capacity, have multiple sources of supply, and improve device performance. ON Semiconductor is expanding the ecosystem to ensure supply and continuously improving the cost structure to enable customers to adopt SiC technology.

ON Semiconductor ranks second in the power semiconductor market. To achieve this goal, you need to provide the right solution for each customer application. Diversified silicon (Si), SiC and gallium nitride (GaN) products are extremely important, and we provide customers with excellent support to import the best devices for their designs. Our plan is to push the technological limits of the process and use industry-leading devices in each product line. Recently, ON Semiconductor acquired the company's first 12-inch wafer fab, allowing our future products to continue to maintain better performance at the best cost structure.

From ON Semiconductor's perspective, SiC modules are very important because of the high power ratings that can be achieved and the scalability of the modules. We can see that this is changing the future design of electric vehicles, trains, renewable energy, aircraft, etc. At the same time, some applications are more component-level applications, specifically lower power ratings, higher frequencies, and board design freedom.

The SiC market is very competitive, which is good for customers because they have more choices. It is good for consumers who benefit from the technology. It is also good for IDMs because investments in future products are still in the early stages. To be profitable in this business requires a few things, the most important of which are supply chain control (see question 2) and a large and diverse customer base like ON Semiconductor has. There is no doubt that the SiC market has great prospects and the technology is developing very fast.