Clas-SiC Wafer Fab is building the world’s first open Foundry to manufacture Silicon Carbide power semi-conductors. Based in Lochgelly, Fife the construction of a custom building and fully fitted out Class 100 clean room facility is due for completion in January 2019 with State of the art 150mm semiconductor manufacturing equipment being installed and operational by August of 2019.
Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafer and compound semiconductor technology is fast emerging as the key enabler in smaller, lighter and more energy efficient power systems of the future. Growth has historically resulted from adoption of SiC diodes, and more recently MOSFETS in renewable energy applications, and greener more efficient air conditioning systems. Demand is outstripping supply with growth set to increase exponentially as the technology is adopted across global initiatives for More Electric Transportation to include Automotive, Rail & Commercial Aviation.
Clas-SiC currently has 25 staff supporting this new venture, with the vast majority being amongst the most highly skilled Silicon Carbide processing engineers in the world, having pioneered this technology for circa 14 years as part of the Raytheon Semiconductor operation in Glenrothes, Scotland prior to Raytheon exiting the semiconductor manufacture in 2017.