Development of a new disruptive semiconductor technology to produce more efficient, smaller, lighter, and more robust power switches.

Project Information

3C-SiC Si

Grant agreement ID: 729083

DOI

10.3030/729083

Project closed

EC signature date 13 May 2016

Start date 1 June 2016

End date 30 September 2016

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

ANVIL SEMICONDUCTORS LTD
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - 3C-SiC Si (Development of a new disruptive semiconductor technology to produce more efficient, smaller, lighter, and more robust power switches.)

Reporting period: 2016-06-01 to 2016-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Anvil Semiconductors has developed a new disruptive Silicon Carbide semiconductor to produce more efficient, smaller, lighter, and more robust power switches. A new, unique semiconductor material (SC-SiC) enabling the production of better performing Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices at a similar cost to conventional Silicon devices (Si). For society the material will produce significant energy savings, unparalleled efficiency and cost effective devices. Anvil studied the business and commercial feasibility of bringing the material to the market and it demonstrated a large market opportunity, as well as outlining the development stages needed to be undertaken to get there.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Anvil conducted a full feasibility study, looking into both the business and technical aspects of the novel material including scouting and identifying industrial partners in the supply chains, sizing the market and profiling customers, accomplishing 5 year financial projections, assessing the IP management strategy and conducting a risk and contingency plan, as well as validating the technology with end users.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Silicon Carbide power semiconductors are a relatively new entrant in the commercial marketplace, with the first SiC Schottky Diode introduced in 2001. Hence, the biggest competition still comes from the incumbent technology, Silicon. While, very few of the main players have invested in 3C-SiC development and no one already reached the market: ST (France) have a project to build 3C-SiC wafers but their technology appears to have come to a dead end. Those that have invested in 3C-SiC are predominantly using [111] Silicon and accepting qualities good enough for use in microelectromechanical systems rather than power devices, or as a substrate for growing other compound semiconductors such as GaN.

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