Mersen receives European funding for the development of the polycrystalline silicon carbide substrates p-sic®.

Mersen (Euronext FR0000039620 – MRN), a global expert in electrical power and advanced materials, is set to benefit from subsidies totaling over €12 million under the Important Project of Common European Interest in MicroElectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI ME/CT). 

The funding is provided by the French government as part of the “France 2030” plan aiming at developing industrial competitiveness and the technologies of the future. It covers both the research and development (R&D) and industrial production phases of the p-SiC® manufacturing process.

These substrates will be manufactured at Mersen’s production plant in Gennevilliers (France) where Mersen plans to invest about €85 million between 2023 and 2025 and hire between 80 and 100 employees. This agreement is already considered as part of Mersen’s 2027 strategic plan, announced in March 2023. This will enable the Group to reach a potential manufacturing capacity of 400,000 wafers (150mm equivalent) by 2027.

p-SiC® is a low-resistivity polycrystalline silicon carbide substrate. Combined with a monocrystalline silicon carbide active layer, it is used by manufacturers of SiC power semiconductors to improve production yields and transistor performance, leading to a smaller carbon footprint for the device.

This positions Mersen as a major supplier of Soitec’s new technology, as part of the strategic partnership signed between the two companies in 2021 to develop a new family of substrates for the electric vehicle market.

Luc Themelin, Mersen’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are delighted to benefit from this funding, which illustrates the importance of Mersen in the French semiconductor value chain ecosystem. Thanks to its expertise in advanced materials, the Group is a key player in the manufacturing of silicon carbide semiconductors, one of the Group’s key growth drivers for its 2027 roadmap.”