Infineon secures 200mm SiC wafer supply from Wolfspeed
Infineon has signed a multi-year agreement with Wolfspeed for the supply of 200mm silicon carbide (SiC) wafers. The deal moves the companies’ existing supply relationship from 150mm to 200mm substrates.
The agreement supports Infineon’s conversion from 150mm to 200mm SiC manufacturing, according to a press release from Infineon. Infineon sources SiC substrates from several suppliers for its global manufacturing network, which includes its 200mm SiC fab in Kulim, Malaysia. The company says this multi-source strategy is meant to secure both flexibility and quality of supply.
“Silicon carbide is at the heart of the energy transition, and securing a high-quality, resilient supply of 200-millimeter substrates is essential to delivering on our customers’ long-term commitments. This agreement further broadens our strong supply base for our 200-millimeter high-volume manufacturing, building on a 20-year supply relationship between our two companies,” says Alexander Gorski, Chief Operations Officer at Infineon.
Moving to larger wafers is largely a question of cost. A 200mm wafer provides more usable die area than a 150mm wafer, which lowers the substrate cost per unit and improves overall manufacturing efficiency.
Demand for SiC power semiconductors comes mainly from electric vehicle drivetrains, solar inverters and industrial motor drives. Infineon also points to AI datacenters as an emerging demand driver. For hyperscalers, power conversion efficiency translates directly into operating costs. According to Infineon, SiC’s switching efficiency and thermal performance make it suitable for specific conversion stages where silicon reaches its practical limits.
Neither company has disclosed the value of the agreement or the volumes involved.