[News] Global Players Vie for 12-Inch SiC Single-Crystal Substrates Amid Semiconductor Materials Innovation

Amid rapid innovation in semiconductor materials technology, 12-inch (300 mm) silicon carbide (SiC) single-crystal substrates have emerged as a key battleground for industry players worldwide. Recently, overseas media reported significant progress by Wolfspeed in the development of 12-inch SiC single-crystal substrates. Meanwhile, a number of Chinese manufacturers are accelerating efforts in this field, achieving continuous breakthroughs that are opening up new opportunities across industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), and high-voltage power devices.

Wolfspeed Demonstrates 12-Inch SiC Single-Crystal Substrate

As per recent overseas reports, Wolfspeed has achieved a major milestone in R&D by successfully completing the demonstration of a 12-inch silicon carbide (SiC) single-crystal substrate.

The 12-inch platform developed by Wolfspeed creatively combines large-scale SiC manufacturing technologies for power electronics with advanced semi-insulating substrate technologies used in optical and RF systems. This unique integration enables novel wafer-level integration across optics, photonics, thermal management, and power electronics, providing broader scope for future technological innovation.

From an application perspective, the intrinsic material properties of SiC align closely with the technical advantages of a 12-inch platform. In the AI sector, for example, SiC’s superior thermal conductivity and mechanical strength make it well suited to meet the rapidly growing power demands of data centers, which underpins the stability and performance enhancement of AI infrastructure.

In next-generation AR/VR applications, SiC’s outstanding thermal performance and controllable optical refractive properties position it as an ideal material for building multifunctional optical architectures, potentially enabling AR/VR devices to become lighter, thinner, and more powerful.

Beyond AI infrastructure and AR/VR devices, the commercialization of a 12-inch SiC platform is expected to further expand the application scope of advanced power devices. It will provide critical support for grid-level high-voltage energy transmission and next-generation industrial systems, while also driving components toward smaller form factors, higher performance, and lower heat generation—fueling continued technological breakthroughs and innovation across related industries.

Chinese Companies Make Broad Advances in 12-Inch SiC Single-Crystal Substrates

At Semicon China in March 2025, SICC showcased its full portfolio of 300 mm (12-inch) SiC substrates, including both N-type conductive substrates for power devices and high-purity semi-insulating substrates for RF and optical applications.

In September 2025, JSG announced that its first 12-inch SiC substrate processing pilot production line had officially come online.

In October 2025, Zhuhai-based Tiancheng Advanced revealed that, based on its self-developed 12-inch SiC crystal growth equipment, it had successfully produced 12-inch high-purity semi-insulating SiC single-crystal material. The effective crystal thickness of its 12-inch N-type SiC single crystals exceeded 35 mm.

In December 2025, CGEE announced that its self-developed 12-inch SiC single-crystal furnace had completed small-batch shipments and was formally delivered to customers for commercial use.

Also in December 2025, Epiworld International unveiled the world’s first 12-inch SiC epitaxial wafer. The product achieved epitaxial layer thickness non-uniformity of ≤3%, doping concentration non-uniformity of ≤8%, and a 2 mm × 2 mm chip yield exceeding 96%, meeting the mass-production requirements of high-end power devices.

(Photo credit: Wolfspeed)