Robert Bosch leads consortium investigating SiC semiconductors

Bosch silicon carbide wafer

A consortium of 34 companies, universities and research institutes from seven countries have joined to advance research into silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors.

The ‘Transform’ project will look to establish a strong European supply chain for the technology, ranging from wafers and other basic materials, through to finished SiC semiconductor devices and power electronic applications.

The demand for this technology is expected to grow rapidly, particularly in energy-intensive applications such as electric vehicle powertrains, EV charge points and power supply infrastructure.

A forecast by market research company Yole indicated the market will grow by an average 30% per year from 2022 to 2025, to reach a value of $2.5 billion.

“The aim of the Transform project is to secure a leading role for Europe in new technologies based on silicon carbide,” said Jens Fabrowsky, an executive vice-president in the Bosch Automotive Electronics division.

Bosch is acting as the consortium leader. Other companies involved in the research include Aixtron, Danfoss, EV Group, Premo, Saint-Gobain, Semikron, Soitec, ST Microelectronics and Valeo-Siemens Automotive.

Scheduled to run until 2024, the publicly funded project is focusing on five use cases in the automotive, industry, renewable energy, and agriculture sectors.

The project has a budget in excess of €89 million ($103 million, £76 million), with funding coming from the European Union and national government groups.