SILICON CARBIDE CHIPS THE NEXT GIANT STEP IN INDIA'S SEMICONDUCTOR ASPIRATIONS

Companies such as L&T, CDIL, Zoho, are already pioneering innovations in the sector, with focus on automotive, renewable energy and industrial electronics

- BY SHRABONA GHOSH

As India continues to work towards its ambition of becoming self-sufficient and a key player in global semiconductor value chains, a sector that has a promising future is Silicon Carbide (SiC) chips. SiCs are important to India because they are a key component in many high-power applications and energy-efficient sectors across industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy and industrial systems. The SiC market in India was valued at $41,356.70 thousand in 2023 and is expected to reach $93,942.90 thousand by 2031.

CURRENT APPLICATIONS AND INNOVATIONS

Various Indian companies are already pioneering innovations in the sectors. Along with high-end silicon, L&T Semiconductor Technologies Ltd. (LTSCT) is also working on silicon carbides and gallium nitrides (GaN) for high-frequency and high-power devices, respectively. Collaborations are already in place with leading foundry companies to cater to the requirements. “SiC chips are becoming a cornerstone in the semiconductor ecosystem due to their superior thermal performance, efficiency and durability, making them essential for applications like EVs, renewable energy systems, industrial automation and power grid modernization. India, with its robust EV adoption roadmap under initiatives like aged by Global Foundries. SiC chips are produced in partnership with European and Japanese companies, while chips for radio frequency and power devices are made by Global Foundries and VIS Technologies,” Kumar added.