Scotland’s Clas-SiC in talks over SiC manufacturing in India
Clas-SiC Wafer Fab Ltd. (Lochgelly, Scotland) is in discussions with several companies about acting as a technology partner for the establishment of one or more silicon-carbide power semiconductor wafer fabs in India.
Clas-SiC is an open foundry dedicated to the manufacture of silicon-carbide power semiconductors that was founded in June 2017. The company provides accelerated process R&D and fast time-to-market for devices. It supports process and device development, sampling, up to medium volume production on 150mm-diameter wafers.
The company had been linked in press reports to software company Zoho Corp. Pvt. Ltd. (Chennai, India). Zoho has reportedly submitted a proposal alongside a technical partner to the Indian government to invest about US$700 million to manufacture compound semiconductors.
Reportedly, Zoho has a budget of about US$200 million and would look to state and national authorities to provide another US$500 or US$600 to fund the building of a 200mm wafer fab. “We have applied for the licence and are awaiting government clearance. We will make a formal announcement once we get the approvals,” Sridhar Vembu, cofounder and CEO of Zoho Corp. is quoted saying on the sidelines of the company’s annual developer event in Austin, Texas.
Several companies
When approached for confirmation that Clas-SiC would be providing manufacturing process technology to Zoho, Scott Forrest, CFO at Clas-SiC, said: “We are in discussions with several companies about bringing up silicon-carbide manufacturing in India.” Forrest said he could not confirm any names due to the confidential nature of the discussions.
“We would be a technology partner and provide our intellectual property through licensing agreements,” Forrest said. “The discussions have been going on for some time,” he added.
Forrest said there is no set timetable for the conclusion of talks but he was hopeful that now the Indian general election was concluded progress could resume.
Other companies that applied to the Indian government for a licence to make silicon-carbide reportedly include SiCSem, a subsidiary of Chennai-based Archean Chemical Industries, and RIR Power Electronics, the Indian arm of US-based Silicon Power Group.
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