The third-generation semiconductor industry has entered a period of rapid growth

Recently, at the 2023 Zhongguancun Forum "Beijing (International) Third Generation Semiconductor Innovation and Development Forum", Xiang Libin, a member of the Party Group and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, stated that third-generation semiconductors represented by silicon carbide and gallium nitride have excellent performance and huge markets in fields such as information and communication, rail transit, smart grids, and new energy vehicles.

 

Overall, during the 13th Five Year Plan period, the issue of 'availability' of China's third-generation semiconductor products and related equipment has been basically resolved. During the 14th Five Year Plan period, the focus will be on addressing the issues of 'usability, ease of use' and sustainable innovation capabilities. Xiang Libin stated that the Ministry of Science and Technology will focus on key core technologies and major application directions, and will focus on breaking through technological bottlenecks in materials, devices, processes, and equipment.

 

After years of effort, the global third-generation semiconductor industry is entering a period of rapid growth. Cao Jianlin, Chairman of the International Semiconductor Lighting Alliance and Director of the Third Generation Semiconductor Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance Steering Committee, stated that "wide bandgap semiconductors, represented by third-generation semiconductors, are widely used in upgrading new energy, transportation manufacturing industries, and optoelectronic application scenarios that meet the 'dual carbon' goal. They have become an important engine for promoting innovation and upgrading in many industries." Cao Jianlin analyzed that China's development of third-generation semiconductors has already laid the foundation for technological breakthroughs and industrial coordinated development. The precision manufacturing level and supporting capabilities related to semiconductors have rapidly improved, laying a solid foundation for the localization of related equipment.

 

Gan Yong, an academician of the CAE Member and director of the National Advisory Committee of Experts on New Material Industry Development, said for example that based on the third-generation semiconductor materials and devices, they will lead the disruptive and innovative application of high-end power equipment and promote the development of traditional power grids to semiconductor power grids.

 

The deep integration of new generation information technology and industrialization is accelerating, creating enormous space for the development of the integrated circuit industry. Shunyi District in Beijing has initially formed an industrial chain layout from equipment to materials, chips, modules, packaging and testing, and downstream applications, gathering more than 20 upstream and downstream enterprises such as Taike Tianrun, Guolian Wanzhong, and Ruineng Semiconductor. At the forum, six industrial projects including the second phase of Guolian Wanzhong Silicon Carbide Power Chip were signed, with an estimated total investment of nearly 1.8 billion yuan.

 

The third-generation semiconductor industry also faces many "growing pains". For example, the original innovation and application-oriented basic research capabilities are weak, key equipment and raw materials are still highly dependent on imports, there are still risks to the security of the industrial and supply chains, there is a lack of open, complete, and advanced third-generation semiconductor R&D pilot platforms, and the industrial ecosystem has not yet been established.

 

To this end, the Third Generation Semiconductor Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance and other joint initiatives have been launched, focusing on key market demands and promoting the application of "green chips" and "healthy chips" based on third-generation semiconductor materials in fields such as new energy vehicles, photovoltaic energy storage, and new displays; Focusing on collaborative innovation in the industrial chain, jointly forming innovation consortia, strengthening the construction of public technology service capabilities and standardization capabilities, forming a collaborative innovation situation of close cooperation between industry, academia, and research, connecting upstream and downstream chains, and promoting the symbiotic development of large, medium, and small enterprises.

 

Wu Ling, Chairman of the Third Generation Semiconductor Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, believes that on the one hand, it is necessary to promote demonstration applications, connect the industrial chain, improve product competitiveness and industry leadership; On the other hand, it is necessary to gather innovative elements, actively promote international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and focus on strengthening deep cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises and R&D teams with mature technologies.