DB HiTek has completed reliability verification of the world's first 8-inch wafer-based 1200V silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor foundry process. As the SiC market shifts from 6-inch to 8-inch wafers to enhance cost competitiveness, the company is ramping up efforts to secure customers ahead of mass production in 2027.
On September 9, DB HiTek announced the completion of reliability verification for its 8-inch 1200V SiC MOSFET process. The company explained that it has established a foundry system capable of supporting everything from design to wafer manufacturing, electrical characteristic evaluation, and reliability verification.
SiC is a next-generation power semiconductor material that is more resistant to high temperatures and high voltages than traditional silicon, making it suitable for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and industrial power equipment. Transitioning from 6-inch to 8-inch wafers is seen as a key shift that can increase the number of chips produced per wafer, thereby lowering SiC prices.
DB HiTek provides its self-developed 1st and 2nd generation 1200V SiC MOSFET process design kits (PDK) to its clients. The PDK is a bundle of design rules and models that allows customers to design chips compatible with the foundry process. The company believes this will accelerate prototype production for clients, reducing the overall development time by more than a year.
The 2nd generation process has achieved characteristics of resistivity below 2.5 mΩ·cm² and a threshold voltage above 3V. A 3rd generation PDK, which will lower resistivity to below 2.3 mΩ·cm², is set to be released in November.
The SiC business is a core component of DB HiTek's strategy to transform its existing 8-inch foundry into a high-value power semiconductor hub. The company aims to increase the revenue share of high-value products in AI data centers, automotive, and industrial applications from 24% in 2025 to 60% by 2030, with a target of expanding total revenue to 1.8 trillion won.
Starting in the third quarter of this year, DB HiTek plans to prioritize providing the process to existing partner clients, with plans to expand services to all customers by the second quarter of 2027. Recently, the company has participated in power semiconductor exhibitions in Europe and India to seek new customers for SiC and gallium nitride (GaN).
A DB HiTek official stated, "The completion of this reliability verification signifies that we have secured the core process technology and mass production foundation for the world's first 8-inch SiC foundry service. We will prepare for 8-inch SiC mass production in 2027 without any setbacks and expand our competitiveness in the next-generation power semiconductor foundry market."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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