Nippon Steel Develops 6 Inch Silicon Wafer

Nippon Steel announced on Tuesday the firm developed silicon carbide single crystal wafer with 6 inch diameters for the first time as domestic enterprise, which is second in the world. The firm builds up technology of commercial production for the wafer. Nippon Steel Materials, the subsidiary of Nippon Steel, produces and sells it.

The wafer reduces loss of electric conversion by over 50% compared with silicon wafer, has high voltage and heat resisting property. Silicon wafer size is mainly 3-4 inch diameters. However, users require strongly for 6 inch diameters for high performance power semiconductor device for electric car, hybrid car and high speed rail.

Nippon Steel developed the wafer with 4 inch diameter by unique technology in 2007. Nippon Steel Materials sells it from 2009.

Nippon Steel succeeded the development of process operate technology and high temperature equipment for 6 inch products with the investment at 1.2 billion yen on December 2011.

The 6 inch wafer increases production efficiency for silicon device and reduces production cost.

Nippon Steel Materials plans to increase production capacity of the wafer with below 4 inch diameters by 3 times to 1,000 pieces per month until ended March 2012, and aims to get 40% of world share for silicon wafer.