GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. (GWC) and GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) have entered into a long-term agreement whereby the expertise of both companies will combine to forge a new source of supply of silicon carbide wafers. GWC, already one of the world’s top producers of semiconductor wafer solutions, will now add 150mm silicon carbide to its offering, manufactured from bulk SiC crystal produced by GTAT. As the electric vehicle (EV) and power electronics industries rapidly increase the demand for silicon carbide, GWC and GTAT are bringing their respective capabilities together to increase supply while lowering costs for this high-demand substrate material.
Doris Hsu, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of GWC, sees this long-term agreement with GTAT similarly. “Bringing our companies’ respective technical strengths together will benefit high-growth industries such as EV because we will increase the global supply of silicon carbide wafers,” Doris Hsu, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of GWC noted. “Pairing our expertise in wafers with GTAT’s premiere-quality silicon carbide crystal will enable important, high-growth industries like EV to reach key adoption milestones sooner and at lower cost.”
“The fundamental advantages of silicon carbide are well known and demand for it is high, but it’s a difficult material to make,” said Greg Knight, GTAT’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Because of our crystal-growth knowhow and ability to master this complex process, partnering with GWC, we can positively shape and influence the silicon carbide wafer industry by diversifying the supply chain, enabling higher wafer volumes in a much shorter expansion lead time and lowering costs significantly for this high-value material,” he continued.
This is a forward-thinking step that aggressively expanding markets such as EV & Power Electronics will truly welcome.
About GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
GlobalWafers, headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, is one of the top three largest silicon wafer manufacturers in the world. Founded in 1981, it was the semiconductor business unit of SAS (Sino-American Silicon Product Inc.) and spun off as GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. in 2011. Specializing in silicon wafer manufacturing, its product applications extend through power management, automotive, IT, Memory, Sensors and MEMS. GlobalWafers operates out of 16 facilities in Taiwan, Japan, USA, Korea, Italy, Denmark, Malaysia, China and Singapore and is listed on the Taipei Stock Exchange. For more information about GlobalWafers, please visit http://www.sas-globalwafers.com.
About GTAT Corporation
GTAT Corporation, headquartered in Hudson, N.H. USA, is a diversified technology company producing advanced materials and innovative crystal growth technology for the solar, power electronics and optoelectronics industries. The company’s technical innovations accelerate the growth of a new generation of products across this diversified set of global markets. For more information about the company, please visit www.gtat.com.