SiC-on-Insulator (SiCOI) Film Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Innovations in SiCOI semiconductor manufacturing: The advancements in the fabrication techniques including wafer bonding and epitaxial growth are significantly aiding in enhancing the performance and scalability of SiC-on-insulator films. Through wafer bonding technology, the thin SiC layers can be integrated into the insulator, which reduces the size of the material needed, leading to cost savings. The SiC-on-insulator film-combined semiconductors also enhance the performance of electronic devices.
  
  For instance, in September 2024, Resonac Holdings Corporation signed a strategic partnership agreement with Soitec to co-produce 200mm (8-inch) silicon carbide (SiC) bonded substrates, which are used as SiC epitaxial wafers in power semiconductors. The Resonac Holdings Corporation’s high-quality SiC single crystal substrates were combined using the substrate bonding technology of Soitec to enhance the productivity of 8-inch SiC wafers and expand the supply chain in the SiC epi-wafer trade.
• High usage of SiC-on-insulator films to enhance connectivity and boost data exchange in 5G and IoT devices: SiC-on-insulator films are set to witness increasing applications in wireless communications such as 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the coming years. The integration of SiC-on-insulator films leads to improved connectivity and quick data exchange in 5G technologies. IoT devices are interconnected to each other and require reliable technologies such as SiC-on-insulator films for effective communication and information transmission. Thus, the rising demand for 5G communication technology and IoT devices in the manufacturing sector is forecasted to boost the revenue shares of SiC-on-insulator film manufacturers in the foreseeable future.

Challenges

• Lack of reliable information: SiC-on-insulator film is an emerging technology, and many researchers are still working on its potential uses, importance, and limitations. The lack of research, awareness, and knowledge of SiC-on-insulator films is deterring end users from its use and trends. Also, the low availability of reliable data challenges the outcome accuracy of SiC-on-insulator films, making it difficult to understand its true market potential. Thus, a lack of information can limit the use of SiC-on-insulator films to some extent.
• High production costs: The complexities associated with SiC-on-insulator film manufacturing techniques are creating significant challenges for SiC-on-insulator (SiCOI) film market participants. The fabrication and manufacturing of SiC-on-insulator films require the availability of advanced materials such as silicon carbide and technologies including layer cutting and ion cutting, which increases the overall production costs.