Silicon Carbide Market Size, Share, Industry Growth & Trends by Device (SiC Discrete Device, SiC Module), Wafer Size (Up to 150mm, >150mm), End-use Application (Automotive, Energy & Power, Industrial, Transportation), Material, Crystal Structure and Region - Global Forecast to 2029
Silicon Carbide Market Size & Growth
[237 Pages Report] The silicon carbide market is estimated to be worth USD 4.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 17.2 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 32.6% during the forecast period. The accelerating demand for power electronics is one of the major drivers of silicon carbide market. Furthermore, the continuous developments to improve the quality of SiC substrate and epitaxy provides growth opportunities in the silicon carbide industry.
Silicon Carbide Market Forecast to 2029
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Silicon Carbide Market Trends & Dynamics
Driver: Accelerating demand for power electronics
Power electronics play a pivotal role in the global electrical infrastructure in power electronics as it requires electronic devices that offer enhanced efficiency which is important to mitigate switching losses. Within the power electronics industry there is an array of power devices that are responsible for converting alternating current to direct current or vice versa within systems that are engineered to minimize energy dissipation and bolster system efficiency. In contrast to traditional silicon-based devices, SiC power semiconductors offer improved power conversion efficiency, high voltage and current tolerances, and enhanced resistance to elevated operating temperatures. These attributes substantially benefit devices such as data center power supplies, wind or solar modules, and converters. Therefore, accelerating demand for power electronics drives the growth of the silicon carbide market.
Restraint: High cost of SiC devices
The primary factor that contributes to the high cost of SiC devices is the expensive SiC substrate, which surpasses the cost of silicon wafers significantly. The sublimation process that is required to produce SiC demands substantial energy to reach high temperatures which yields final boules that are no longer than 25 mm in length, with extended growth times. This leads to a cost escalation as compared to silicon wafers. Moreover, other cost factors include epitaxy and device fabrication that entails high temperatures and costly consumables. The final cost driver lies in the yield at each stage that includes the number of unusable wafers from boules and the post-epitaxy and fabrication write-offs. Therefore, the high costs of SiC devices hinder the growth of the SiC market.
Opportunity: Continuous developments to improve the quality of SiC substrate and epitaxy
Continuous improvement in SiC substrate quality and epitaxy processes is an important factor in the ongoing advancements of SiC device manufacturing. Researchers are diligently addressing defects that are in SiC substrates such as scratches, micro pipes, crystalline stacking faults, stains, and surface particles, which decreases the performance of the SiC device. Efforts towards maintaining consistent substrate quality even with larger wafers resist the higher density of defects. These advancements are poised to elevate SiC device quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, that provide growth opportunities of SiC market. Alongside substrate and epitaxy enhancements, other notable technological trends in SiC devices encompass the shift towards larger wafers which leads towards the increased adoption of SiC devices in power electronics, and the burgeoning demand for SiC MOSFETs in electromobility (EV/HEV) powertrains. Therefore, the ongoing advancements to enhance the quality of SiC substrates and epitaxy will provide further growth opportunities in the SiC market in the future.
Challenge: Defects in materials, designing and packaging processes in SiC devices
Within SiC materials, micro-sized voids, termed micropipes, are present throughout the crystals. During the fabrication of larger wafers, SiC devices are prone to various defects such as dislocations, prototype inclusions, and stacking faults. These flaws stem from an imbalanced ratio of silicon and carbon precursors and localized fluctuations in pressure or temperature. Consequently, these defects impede the efficiency of the device and decrease its electrical properties. Therefore, defects in materials, designing and packaging processes of SiC devices hinder the overall performance efficiency of SiC which thereby might restrain the market growth.
Silicon Carbide Market Ecosystem
The prominent players in the silicon carbide market are STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US), WOLFSPEED, INC. (US), and ROHM Co., Ltd. (Japan). These companies perform organic and inorganic growth strategies to expand themselves globally by providing advanced silicon carbide devices.
SiC module is expected to register highest CAGR in the silicon carbide market during forecast period
SiC power modules utilize silicon carbide as a switch material that offers high efficiency in power conversion with reduced heat energy loss which serves as a crucial component in industrial, automotive, and power & energy sectors. These modules are preferred over silicon-based devices due to the wide bandgap of SiC that enables low switching losses and high frequencies, along with the ability to operate at elevated temperatures and voltages for demanding applications such as automotive, industrial and energy & power. Therefore, SiC module is expected to register the highest CAGR in the silicon carbide market during the forecast period.
Industrial application is expected to have the second largest market size in the silicon carbide market during forecast period
SiC is increasingly recognized in various industrial sectors such as robotics, manufacturing facilities, motor drives, and other fields. In robotics, it serves in applications like robot arms and end effectors, leveraging its high strength and thermal conductivity to endure extreme temperatures and harsh conditions. Similarly, within manufacturing facilities, SiC is utilized in cutting tools and grinding wheels due to its exceptional hardness and wear resistance, ensuring durability amidst abrasive operations. Therefore, the growing adoption of SiC in robotics, manufacturing facilities, motor drives and other industrial fields drives the market growth. Therefore, industrial application is expected to have the second largest market size in the silicon carbide market during the forecast period.
Asia Pacific is expected to register for the largest market size in silicon carbide market during the forecast period
The surging deployment of silicon carbide in Asia Pacific is driven by rising number of electric vehicles and related charging infrastructures in China. Additionally, the growing interest towards renewable energy sources further fuels market growth of silicon carbide in Asia Pacific which further drives the market growth. Therefore, Asia Pacific is expected to register for the largest market size in silicon carbide market during the forecast period.
Silicon Carbide Market by Region
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Key Market Players - Silicon Carbide Market
The major players in the silicon carbide companies include
- STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland),
- Infineon Technologies AG (Germany),
- Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US),
- WOLFSPEED, INC. (US), and
- ROHM Co., Ltd. (Japan). These companies have used both organic and inorganic growth strategies such as product launches, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, acquisitions, and expansions to strengthen their position in the market.
Silicon Carbide Report Scope :
Report Metric |
Scope |
Estimated Market Size | USD 4.2 billion in 2024 |
Projected Market Size | USD 17.2 billion by 2029 |
Market Growth Rate | at a CAGR of 32.6% |
Market size available for years |
2020-2029 |
Base year considered |
2023 |
Forecast period |
2024–2029 |
Forecast units |
Value (USD Million/Billion), Volume (Million Units) |
Segments covered |
By Device, Wafer Size, End-Use Application, and Region |
Geographies covered |
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) |
Companies covered |
The major players in the silicon carbide market are STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US), WOLFSPEED, INC. (US), ROHM Co., Ltd. (Japan), Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan), TOSHIBA CORPORATION (Japan), Microchip Technology Inc. (US), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan), and Coherent Corp. (US) |
Silicon Carbide Market Highlights
The study segments the silicon carbide market based on device, wafer size, end-use application, and region at the regional and global level.
Segment |
Subsegment |
By Device |
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By Wafer Size |
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By End-Use Application |
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By Region |
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Recent Developments
- In December 2023, STMicroelectronics N.V. announced an agreement with Li Auto, a China based manufacturer of smart premium electric vehicles. Under this agreement, STMicroelectronics will supply SiC MOSFET devices to support Li Auto’s strategy around high-voltage battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in various market segments.
- In January 2024, Infineon Technologies AG. announced the expansion of the wafer supply agreement, worth USD 20 billion, with Wolfspeed, Inc. In this agreement Infineon will supply SiC 150 mm wafer to Wolfspeed to manufacture SiC devices.
- In July 2023, Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC and BorgWarner Inc. announced a strategic collaboration, worth ~USD 1 billion, to deliver SiC based innovative and sustainable mobility solutions. Under this collaboration, BorgWarner plans to integrate onsemi EliteSiC 1200 V and 750 V power devices into its VIPER power modules.
- In July 2023, WOLFSPEED, INC. announced the wafer supply agreement, worth USD 2 billion, with Renesas Electronics Corporation, a supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions. In this agreement, Renesas will secure a 10-year supply commitment of silicon carbide bare and epitaxial wafers from Wolfspeed. Through this, Wolfspeed will pave the way for Renesas to scale production of silicon carbide power semiconductors starting in 2025.
- In December 2022, ROHM Co., Ltd. partnered with Shenzhen BASiC Semiconductor Ltd., a leading company in China’s next-generation power semiconductor industry. This is a strategic partnership agreement on SiC power devices for automotive applications. Under this partnership, both the companies will leverage their respective strengths to innovate and improve the performance of SiC power devices and develop high performing, efficient, and reliable SiC solutions for new energy vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What is the current size of the global silicon carbide market?
The silicon carbide market is estimated to be worth USD 4.20 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 17.2 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 32.6% during the forecast period. The accelerating demand for power electronics is one of the major drivers of silicon carbide market, globally. Furthermore, the continuous developments to improve the quality of SiC substrate and epitaxy provides growth opportunities in the silicon carbide market.
Who are the winners in the global silicon carbide market?
Companies such as STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (US), WOLFSPEED, INC. (US), and ROHM Co., Ltd. (Japan), fall under the winners category.
Which region is expected to hold the highest market share?
Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the silicon carbide market during forecast period. This is attributed to the presence of leading companies such as ROHM Co., Ltd., Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., Renesas Electronics Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, and TanKeBlue Semiconductor Co. Ltd., headquartered in Asia Pacific, growing demand for electric vehicles, and growing demand for consumer electronics and automobile manufacturing facilities are the major factors driving the market growth in Asia Pacific.
What are the major drivers and opportunities related to the silicon carbide market?
The accelerating demand for power electronics and the continuous developments to improve the quality of SiC substrate and epitaxy are some of the major drivers and opportunities for silicon carbide market.
What are the major strategies adopted by market players?
The key players have adopted product launches, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, acquisitions, and expansions to strengthen their position for the silicon carbide market.
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The research study involved 4 major activities in estimating the size of the silicon carbide market. Exhaustive secondary research has been done to collect important information about the market and peer markets. The validation of these findings, assumptions, and sizing with the help of primary research with industry experts across the supply chain has been the next step. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate the market size. Post which the market breakdown and data triangulation have been adopted to estimate the market sizes of segments and sub-segments.
Secondary Research
In the secondary research process, various secondary sources have been referred to for identifying and collecting information required for this study. The secondary sources include annual reports, press releases, and investor presentations of companies, white papers, and articles from recognized authors. Secondary research has been mainly done to obtain key information about the market’s value chain, the pool of key market players, market segmentation according to industry trends, regional outlook and developments from both market and technology perspectives.
Primary Research
In primary research, various primary sources from both supply and demand sides have been interviewed to obtain qualitative and quantitative insights required for this report. Primary sources from supply side include experts such as CEOs, vice presidents, marketing directors, manufacturers, technology and innovation directors, end users and related executives from multiple key companies and organizations operating in the silicon carbide market ecosystem.
To know about the assumptions considered for the study, download the pdf brochure
Market Size Estimation
Top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate and validate the size of the silicon carbide market. The key players in the market have been identified through secondary research, and their market shares in respective regions have been determined through primary and secondary research. This entire research methodology includes the study of key insights by top players, as well as interviews with experts (such as CXOs, vice presidents, directors, and marketing executives) for quantitative and qualitative key insights. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources. All parameters that affect markets covered in this research study were accounted for, viewed in detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to obtain the final quantitative and qualitative data. This data has been consolidated and supplemented with detailed inputs and analysis from the MarketsandMarkets data repository and presented in this report.
In the market engineering process, both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used along with data triangulation methods to estimate and validate the size of the silicon carbide market and other dependent submarkets. The research methodology used to estimate the market sizes includes the following:
Market Size Estimation Methodology-Bottom-up Aapproach
Market Size Estimation Methodology-Top-Down Approach
Data Triangulation
After arriving at the overall market size by the market size estimation process explained in the earlier section, the overall silicon carbide market has been divided into several segments and subsegments. To complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics for all segments, the data triangulation and market breakdown procedures have been used, wherever applicable. The data has been triangulated by studying various factors and trends from both the demand and supply side perspectives. Along with data triangulation and market breakdown, the market has been validated by top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Market Definition
Silicon carbide (SiC) is known for their high thermal conductivity, electric field breakdown strength, and ability to handle high currents, which significantly outperforms traditional silicon-based devices in high-temperature, high-power, and high-frequency applications. They play an important role in revolutionizing various industries by catering automotive, energy & power, industrial, transportation, telecommunication and others which includes space research and nuclear power applications. They are extensively used in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid systems, power supplies, motor drives, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and are used to carry out harsh environment operations, by offering higher efficiency, reliability, and thermal management. SiC technology enables high efficiency, and durability. Additionally, it also helps in delivering compact systems in sectors ranging from renewable energy to aerospace.
Stakeholders
The main objectives of this study are as follows:
Customizations Options:
With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to the company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:
Company Information
Geographic Information
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- Identifying stakeholders in the silicon carbide market that influence the entire market, along with participants across the value chain.
- Analyzing major manufacturers of silicon carbide and studying their product portfolios
- Analyzing trends related to the adoption of silicon carbide
- Tracking the recent and upcoming developments in the market that include investments, R&D activities, product launches, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, acquisitions, and expansions, as well as forecasting the market size based on these developments and other critical parameters
- Carrying out multiple discussions with key opinion leaders to identify the adoption trends of silicon carbide
- Segmenting the overall market into various other market segments
- Validating the estimates at every level through discussions with key opinion leaders, such as chief executives (CXOs), directors, and operation managers, and finally with the domain experts at MarketsandMarkets
- Raw Material Suppliers
- Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
- Original design manufacturers (ODM)
- Component Suppliers
- SiC semiconductor device manufacturers
- Device Integrators
- Distributors and Resellers
- Research Institutes and Organizations
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Forums, Alliances, Consortiums, and Associations
- Governments, Financial Institutions, and Regulatory Bodies
- To define, analyze and forecast the silicon carbide market size, by device, wafer size, end-use application, and region, in terms of value.
- To define, analyze and forecast the silicon carbide market size, in terms of volume.
- To forecast the market size for various segments with respect to four main regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW)
- To provide detailed information regarding the major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the silicon carbide market
- To study the complete supply chain and related industry segments for the silicon carbide market
- To strategically analyze the micromarkets1 with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the total market
- To analyze the supply chain, market ecosystem; trends/disruptions impacting customer’s business; technology analysis; pricing analysis; Porter’s five forces model; key stakeholders & buying criteria; case study analysis; trade analysis; patent analysis; key conferences & events, 2024–2025; regulations related to the silicon carbide market; and investment and funding scenario.
- To analyze opportunities in the market for various stakeholders by identifying the high-growth segments of the market.
- To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their market position in terms of ranking, core competencies2, company valuation and financial metrics and product/brand comparison; along with detailing the competitive landscape for the market leaders.
- To analyze competitive developments such as product launches, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, contracts, acquisitions, expansions and research and development (R&D) activities carried out by players in the silicon carbide market.
- Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to 5)
- Detailed analysis of additional countries (up to 5)
Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in Silicon Carbide Market