Caracal's gases could slash SiC wafer costs
by Richard Stevenson in Pittsburgh
Caracal, a manufacturer of SiC wafers located in Ford City, PA, has announced itself to the industry at the International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM) taking place in Pittsburgh this week.
The company, which has raised over $9 million in funding and has a 10000 ft2 facility, has been operating in stealth mode since early 2004, but says that it will soon begin commercial shipments.
Caracal claims that because it uses source materials based on gases rather than powders to produce substrates, it can cut the cost of making SiC wafers by almost 90%.
The start-up will offer semi-insulating and conducting SiC wafers in both 6H and 4H polytypes, with or without a SiC-based epitaxial layer.
Caracal has already produced 100 mm wafers using its technology, and expects to begin commercial shipments before the end of this year.
Named after a species of big cat said to have superior hunting skills, Caracal was founded by Linköping University graduate and big cat fan Olle Kordina, along with technology entrepreneur Rajiv Enand, the start-up's CEO.
Its Ford City, PA, facility is built on the site of the former Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, at what is now known as the Ford City Heritage and Technology Park. It was officially opened in February of this year
