25th Anniversary of SiC, a Timeline

Blog by STMicroelectronics

After recently celebrating 25 years of silicon carbide at ST and the beginning of a new era, ST wanted to share a timeline of how we got here. A quarter of a century ago, everything started on one-inch wafers and a close relationship with academia. Today, SiC is transforming electric cars, among many other markets. In the process, ST managed to earn more than 70 patents on SiC, and we continue to dedicate enormous resources to the technology. Here are some of the major milestones of the last 25 years.

25th Anniversary of SiC

1996

June

Collaboration with Academia

Collaboration with the Physics Department of the University of Catania

1998

April

1st Contract On SiC With Research

First contract pertaining to Silicon Carbide. Agreement with the Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems of the Italian National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, or CNR).

2002

May

Schottky Diode Demonstrator

ST’s first Schottky diode demonstration using Silicon Carbide in partnership with the CNR.

2003

February

Epitaxial Reactor Installation

ETC installs an epitaxial reactor prototype in an ST fab. It’s a first step for the manufacturing of SiC

December

2-Inch Wafers In 2003

ST manufactures Silicon Carbide devices on 2-inch wafers.

2004

May

Schottky Diode Demonstrator

First SiC Schottky diode demonstrator produced by ST.

2006

December

3-Inch Wafers


ST manufactures Silicon Carbide devices on 3-inch wafers.

2007

October

1st Generation SiC Diode

ST mass produces its first generation of Silicon Carbide diodes.

2009

March

First SiC Power MOSFET Demonstrator

We manufacture our first power MOSFET demonstrator on 3-inch wafers.

2011

December

4-Inch Wafers


ST manufactures Silicon Carbide devices on 4-inch wafers.

2012

May

2nd Generation Of SiC Diodes

ST mass produces its second generation of Silicon Carbide diodes.

2014

June

3rd Generation Of SiC Diodes

ST mass produces its third generation of Silicon Carbide diodes.

September

1st Generation Of SiC MOSFETs

ST mass produces its first generation of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs.

2016

December

6-Inch Wafers

ST manufactures Silicon Carbide devices on 6-inch wafers.

2017

June

2nd Generation Of SiC MOSFETs

ST mass produces its second generation of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs.

November

SiC Devices In High End Automotive Applications

By the end of the year, ST silicon carbide power devices integrated commercial vehicles, inaugurating the massive use of SiC in high-end automotive applications.

2020

December

3rd Generation Of SiC Power MOSFETs


ST mass produces its third generation of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs.

2021

July

8-Inch Wafers

ST manufactures Silicon Carbide devices on 8-inch wafers.

Kindly visit ST Blog for more details.