Wolfspeed and ZF announce partnership for Silicon Carbide semiconductor devices

Wolfspeed, a company active in Silicon Carbide technology and ZF, a global technology company enabling next generation mobility, announced a strategic partnership that includes the creation of a joint innovation lab to drive advances in Silicon Carbide systems and devices for mobility, industrial and energy applications. 

The partnership also includes a significant investment by ZF to support the planned construction of the world’s most advanced and largest 200mm Silicon Carbide device fab in Ensdorf (opening image), Germany. Both the joint innovation lab and the Wolfspeed device fab are planned as part of the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) for Microelectronics and Communication Technologies framework and are dependent upon state aid approval from the European Commission. 

“These initiatives are a significant step towards a successful industrial transformation. They strengthen European supply resilience and, at the same time, support the European Green Deal and the strategic goals for Europe’s Digital Decade,” said Holger Klein, CEO of ZF. 

Wolfspeed and ZF partner on Silicon Carbide R&D Center 

The strategic partnership includes a joint research facility in Germany that will focus on real world e-mobility and renewable energy system level challenges. The goal of the collaboration is to develop breakthrough innovations for Silicon Carbide systems, products, and applications, covering the full value chain from chip to complete systems. Additional collaboration partners will be invited to participate in the innovation process, establishing an end-to-end European Silicon Carbide innovation network. 

The R&D center will focus on innovation for Silicon Carbide systems and devices to meet specific requirements in all mobility segments including consumer, commercial, agricultural, and industrial vehicles as well as in the industrial and renewable energy markets. The collaboration will drive improvements such as higher efficiency, increased power density and higher performances for electrification solutions. 

ZF to Invest in Wolfspeed for Next Generation 200mm Silicon Carbide Fab 

As separately announced, Wolfspeed plans to construct a fully automated, highly advanced 200mm wafer fabrication facility in Saarland, Germany. ZF intends to support this new construction by making a sizable financial investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for Wolfspeed common stock. As a part of this investment ZF will have a minority ownership position in the fab. 

Wolfspeed will maintain all operational and management control rights in the new fab. ZF and Wolfspeed previously announced a strategic partnership in 2019 to create industry-leading, highly efficient electric drivelines with a Silicon Carbide inverter, and these new initiatives represent the next generation of innovation for the partners.