[News] Silicon Carbide Battle Rekindled by Industry Giants: Wolfspeed, Samsung Make Waves

Despite intensifying competition from Chinese rivals, global chipmakers continue to accelerate their SiC investments amid the AI boom. According to Wealth Magazine, NVIDIA is reportedly planning to replace traditional silicon interposers with silicon carbide in its next-generation Rubin architecture, targeting higher performance—a shift that could unlock new industry opportunities.

Major players are making moves: for instance, Wolfspeed—despite filing for bankruptcy just months ago—has rolled out its 200mm silicon carbide materials portfolio. Samsung, meanwhile, is signaling a stronger focus on 8-inch SiC R&D, according to ZDNet. Here’s a snapshot of the latest industry developments.

Wolfspeed: Launch of 200mm SiC Materials Portfolio

As noted by Compound Semiconductor, Wolfspeed has officially rolled out its 200mm (8 inch) SiC material products last week, marking a key milestone in the company’s push to speed up the industry’s shift from silicon to silicon carbide.

According to the company, it now offers 200mm SiC epitaxy ready for immediate qualification. Paired with its 200mm bare wafers, this combination boosts scalability and material quality, helping device makers improve MOSFET yields, accelerate time-to-market, and deliver stronger solutions for automotive, renewable energy and industrial markets, Wolfspeed noted.

The shift to 8-inch SiC wafers appears inevitable as China rapidly expands its 6-inch capacity. As IT Home reported, China’s largest SiC wafer plant in Wuhan has started production, aiming to supply 30% of the country’s domestic output. Its first phase, focused on power devices, reportedly targets 360K 6-inch wafers annually.

In 2024, Wolfspeed led the global SiC substrate market with a 34% share, but Chinese rivals TankeBlue and SICC are catching up, each holding 17%, according to TrendForce.

Samsung’s SiC Ambition

Meanwhile, a new contender may be emerging. ZDNet reports that on September 15, Hong Seok-jun, VP and head of Samsung’s CSS Business Team, said the company is focusing R&D on 8-inch SiC power semiconductors. Though no commercialization timeline has been announced yet, he noted that the company is working to commercialize SiC power semiconductors “as soon as possible,” the report adds.

ZDNet highlights that silicon carbide (SiC) outperforms traditional silicon with higher heat and voltage tolerance and better power efficiency, fueling strong demand in electric vehicles and energy. Its role is also expanding in AI, where massive data processing is key, the report adds.

ZDNet reports that Samsung, under its newly formed CSS Business Team at the end of 2023, has been developing 8-inch SiC power semiconductors. While 6-inch wafers remain the industry standard, 8-inch adoption is steadily rising.

Industry observers cited by the report caution, however, that Samsung’s full entry into the SiC market remains uncertain, as its current technology isn’t yet competitive, and the company is prioritizing its 8-inch GaN foundry instead. Although the GaN foundry was initially expected to launch this year, sources suggest commercialization is unlikely before 2026, as per ZDNet.

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(Photo credit: Wolfspeed)