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Trusted European SiC Value Chain for a greener Economy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TRANSFORM (Trusted European SiC Value Chain for a greener Economy)

Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2022-04-30

Power Electronics is an important technology domain that has permeated into many aspects of modern life. It has become an essential technology for e-mobility, communication, renewable energy, medical, aerospace and industrial production. Not only hybrid/electrical cars but also devices such as mobile phones and home appliances use power electronics systems for the conversion of electrical power from one form to another and control its energy level. Current challenges regarding climate change and energy security highlights the importance of efficiency since electrical power is lost as heat during this conversion and conditioning. Hence developments in this technology domain directly affect society and the quality of life. The international Energy Agency emphasizes that without early action on efficiency, the energy transition to net zero emissions will be more expensive and much more difficult to achieve (www.iea.org).
Power electronics systems use semiconductor materials which have a direct influence on the efficiency of the system. Traditionally Silicon (Si) is used for this purpose, the semiconductor material in every conventional electronic device. Despite substantial progress with electronic components based on this material, further breakthroughs to provide a technological response for future demands is difficult to achieve.
At this point new materials with better properties come into play, the so-called “wide bandgap” materials. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is one of them with properties that allow, among others, operation at higher temperatures and higher electrical potential leading to smaller components and higher power conversion efficiency. Depending on the application, 6-30% gain is expected by using SiC instead of Si.
It is the aim of TRANSFORM to establish a strong and a complete value chain for SiC based power electronics in Europe. This will enable a powerful European competitive position and sovereignty in this field through advanced and highly competitive SiC technology. It encompasses research and development activities along the complete supply chain, from SiC substrates to power electronics systems, to provide European market players with a reliable source of SiC components and systems based on an entirely European value chain. The consortium comprises of 34 partners from 7 EU states including industry, institutes and universities.
Transform completed the first year of its project duration. Within the first reporting period work has been carried out in all key areas of the SiC supply chain from raw materials up to semiconductor wafers, packaging, equipment and complete systems in various application domains. Work on requirements engineering along the supply chain, based the targeted use cases, started. Initial requirements on the system level were determined and those for the new substrate technology, SmartSiC™, was completed. Development of this technology was in focus within this period. Two sets of prototypes were delivered and characterized, second set was also delivered based on the feedback on the first batch. A benchmark study against commercial substrates was carried out for processability in real production environment, with positive initial results. Processing of devices on these substrates were planned in the second project year. First samples of 200 mm SmartSiC™ wafers were shown. Production equipment and process development for 200 mm capability for volume production was initiated. Development of several new electronic packaging and production methods for higher reliability and optimized cost to performance ratio were initiated, initial samples are produced. Several reliability test methods are improved to allow a more precise identification of SiC specific robustness challenges. A lifetime model on component level for a digital twin approach is under development. Active participation in international standardization committees was undertaken to establish feedback loops on exploitation of project results and industrialization of technologies developed in this project. In parallel technical demonstrators with SiC components are designed in application areas of automotive, Smart-Power grid, agriculture machinery, as well as industrial machines. SiC components based on state-of-the-art technology were produced and delivered for the demonstrators as technology baseline.
Going beyond the state of the art, metal free bonding of SmartSiC™ technology was realized. First European 200 mm SiC donor substrates for SmartSiC™ was produced and delivered. They were successfully used to produce 200 mm SmartSiC™ samples that showed, for the first time, this new substrate technology can be extended to 200 mm technology. Reliability tests were extended, and new tests were developed to account for the specific challenges of SiC technology. Current gaps in international standards were identified and the results are prepared for feedback in the standardization committees via active participation as a dissemination activity.
TRANSFORM contributes to European societal goals and the green economy through significantly increasing energy efficiency by providing a competitive, ready-to-industrialize technology, strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty in this critical field.