a strategic partnership with SK Siltron for the development and commercialization of compound semiconductor products
IQE plc, the leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and advanced material solutions to the semiconductor industry, is pleased to announce that it has entered a strategic partnership with SK siltron for the advancement and commercialization of compound semiconductor commodities.
SK siltron pioneers the latest-generation semiconductor materials designed to support customers meet global demands for improved environmental sustainability, enhanced electricity demand, and greater energy efficiency. This agreement reinforces a strategic agreement to develop business in the Asian market, leveraging SK siltron’s sizable substratum proficiency with IQE’s market-leading epitaxy competencies.
IQE and SK siltron will concentrate on developing and delivering innovative epi wafers centered on Gallium Nitride (GaN) on Silicon Carbide (SiC) for radio frequency applications in the wireless communications market and GaN on Silicon (Si) for power electronics applications across a variety of markets. Collectively, these markets signify a multi-billion-dollar prospect for GaN devices and are projected for robust expansion in consumer, telecom, and automotive applications.
Americo Lemos, Chief Executive Officer of IQE, mentioned the remarkable concerted efforts between IQE’s GaN derivation and SK siltron’s substratum offerings, and IQE would leverage these to create innovative solutions to market. Expansion in Asia is a key focus for IQE, and the company is thrilled to be partnering with a globally renowned leader in advanced materials.
Yongho Jang, Chief Executive Officer of SK siltron, stated that the team is delighted that two world leaders in advanced materials are joining forces to jointly develop products for exhilarating development markets associated to GaN materials. The company is looking forward to building significant achievements with IQE and fostering the affiliation to cover a comprehensive array of semiconductor materials.
About GaN
GaN is a wide bandgap semiconductor material that is growing in significance since its ability to extend significantly improved performance across a broad variety of applications while lowering energy consumption, compared to conventional silicon technologies. Applications for GaN consist of high-efficiency 5G networks, involving massive MiMo base stations and power devices in consumer, industrial, and automotive markets.
About IQE
IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and advanced material solutions to the semiconductor industry that enable a diverse range of applications through:
- global telecoms infrastructure
- handset devices
- connected devices
- 3D sensing
As a surmounted worldwide epitaxy wafer manufacturer, IQE is distinctively positioned in this market which has elevated barriers to entrance. IQE supplies the whole market and is agnostic to the front-runners and failures at the chip and levels point. By leveraging the Group’s intellectual property portfolio involving patents and technical expertise, it generates epitaxy wafers of superior quality, yield, and unit economics.
IQE is headquartered in Cardiff UK, with over 685 employees throughout eight manufacturing locations in the US, UK, and Taiwan, and is listed on the AIM Stock Exchange in London.
About SK siltron
Founded in 1983, SK siltron pioneers next-generation semiconductor device innovation based on leading-edge technology, concentrating on manufacturing silicon wafers, which are a crucial component of the semiconductor process. The business partners with global semiconductor manufacturers to supply state-of-the-art wafers for research.
Due to a high-level technological barrier to entry, only a small number of firms across the globe produce silicon wafers. Most are established in Japan and Germany. SK siltron is the only Korean company that supplies worldwide manufacturers with sophisticated solutions that achieve defect-free crystals, 20nm size particle control, and exceedingly flat surface control.
To sustain global leadership in manufacturing and semiconductor development, SK siltron is committed to competitive innovation and invests in talent and infrastructure.
By enhancing process equipment performance, enhancing effectiveness in manufacturing lines, and decreasing raw materials’ cost, SK siltron seeks to assist clients to achieve yield and quality enhancements and improve cost competitiveness.
About SK Group
Based in Korea, SK Group operates over 120 businesses across energy, advanced materials, life sciences, mobility, and semiconductor productions. Its objective is to uncover and support the unforeseen, new opportunities that form the mainstay of their global society and transform human understanding.