India’s first vertically integrated SiC semiconductor unit nears production | Industry News

India’s first vertically integrated silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor manufacturing facility is likely to start commercial production soon, with RIR Power Electronics Limited completing the physical infrastructure and installation of key equipment at its facility near Bhubaneswar.

 

The company on Thursday said the Rs 618 crore project being developed at the electronic manufacturing cluster in Info Valley-II is at an advanced stage of completion. It has completed the erection and installation of state-of-the-art SiC epitaxial wafer manufacturing reactors at its upcoming facility.

 

The facility will commence commercial production upon completion of the remaining statutory and regulatory formalities. The key equipment required for the SiC epitaxial wafer manufacturing process has been installed, while essential power connections, utilities and other supporting infrastructure have been commissioned.

  

Harshad Mehta, non-executive chairman of RIR Power Electronics Limited, said the Bhubaneswar facility is expected to commence operations in the next three months, subject to completion of the remaining regulatory processes.

 

“The facility is being developed through a phased approach. Phase I establishes our epitaxy and packaging capabilities, while the subsequent phase will progressively build our fabrication capabilities. This will allow RIR to move towards a vertically integrated ‘silicon carbide to system’ ecosystem, spanning wafers, power semiconductor devices and system-level solutions. In the initial phase, we expect production of around 750 SiC Epi wafers by the end of December 2026 going up to 20,000 wafers by the end of 2027,” he told Business Standard.

 

SiC is an advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor material made from silicon and carbon atoms that can withstand higher temperatures, voltages and electric fields. It outperforms traditional silicon in high-power and high-voltage electronics.

 

Its characteristics allow power devices to operate with lower energy losses and higher efficiency, making the material relevant for electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, renewable-energy systems, energy storage, railways, industrial drives, aerospace and defence systems, as well as high-performance data-centre power infrastructure.

 

The company said its long-term objective is to build a globally competitive base for power electronics and power semiconductor products and technologies from the state. “We see this as a significant step in building advanced semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in India and creating a scalable platform to serve the growing demand from electric mobility, renewable energy, industrial, defence, aerospace and power infrastructure applications,” Mehta said.

 

On Wednesday, a team of senior officials led by Vishal Kumar Dev, additional chief secretary of the Electronics and Information Technology department, reviewed the facility and expressed satisfaction with the progress and readiness of the infrastructure.

 

“RIR Power Electronics is the first semiconductor company to set up its plant in Odisha within a short period of time. It will start commercial production soon. This milestone reflects Odisha’s growing role in India’s semiconductor ambitions. The state government remains committed to supporting every step of this journey towards a self-reliant, technologically advanced India,” Dev said.

 

RIR plans to use the Odisha facility to manufacture advanced SiC-based power semiconductor devices, eventually building an integrated manufacturing ecosystem covering wafers and power devices. The company said the facility will manufacture high-power SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), IGBTs and diodes, with products designed for voltage applications ranging from 3.3 kV to 20 kV.

 

The company had earlier envisaged production of both four-inch and six-inch SiC wafers in the initial stages, followed by a six-inch fab line for products including IGBTs, diodes, MOSFETs, system-in-package modules and bare dies. The immediate focus, however, is on epitaxial wafers.

 

Odisha has so far secured commitments from five semiconductor companies to set up manufacturing and related facilities in the state with a combined investment of over Rs 12,237 crore. After the state’s first semiconductor project, RIR Power Electronics Ltd, SiCSem Private Limited has received the required approval for its Rs 3,406 crore SiC semiconductor facility.

 

Apart from SiCSem and RIR Power Electronics, US-headquartered 3D Glass Solutions (3DGS) Inc has proposed an integrated advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate facility with an investment of Rs 1,943 crore. It has collaborated with Intel Corporation for the country’s first 3D chip packaging plant.

 

Backed by an investment of Rs 4,620 crore, ASP Semicon Private Limited is setting up a major semiconductor memory chip modules manufacturing plant in Khordha. Sancode Semi Private Limited will also establish a major outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility at Info Valley-II with an investment of Rs 1,650 crore.