Biggest SiC Factory Planned

Chip manufacturers in the SiC industry are currently increasing their internal capacity to meet rising demand, particularly for electric vehicles that use SiC power devices. Infineon, a heavyweight in power electronics, is making headlines with its plan to build the world’s largest 200mm SiC fab in Kulim, Malaysia.  

The original investment budget was €2 billion, but a further €5 billion has now been earmarked for construction. The first phase is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2024. Infineon's new SiC fab, Kulim 3, is adjacent to 200 mm silicon fabs and represents a significant expansion in Malaysia.

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Want to learn more about SiC and GaN? Check out this Elektor video.
 

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Infineon’s strong presence in Malaysia dates back almost 50 years, making Malaysia an important location for end-to-end production. The decision to build Kulim 3 is facilitated by favorable local labor laws that allow for longer construction times. The approval process for the infrastructure was swift and benefited from Infineon’s good relationships and strong presence in Malaysia.

The installation of equipment in Kulim 3 will start in April 2024 and the production of silicon carbide semiconductors is planned for the second half of the year. The factory uses cold-split technology from Siltectra, which Infineon acquired in 2018. The construction of the 200 mm SiC fab is expected to create 900 jobs, mainly filled by local specialists.

To meet the need for specific expertise, a training program will send engineers to Infineon’s SiC manufacturing facility in Villach, Austria. Design orders with a total value of 5 billion euros are pending for the electric vehicle, industrial, solar and storage sectors.



In the long term, the two sites in Kulim and Villach are expected to achieve a 30% share of the projected EUR 20 billion market for silicon carbide energy technology by the end of the decade. While in Kulim 3 will initially be focussed on SiC, the development of GaN products is already started.