CDIL Semiconductors becomes the first Indian company to start production of Silicon Carbide devices; aims to address the impending surge in Electric Vehicles, Power Management Devices and Solar Panels: Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, inaugurated the new Surface Mount Semiconductor Packaging Line, at Continental Device India Private Limited’s (CDIL) Mohali plant.

With the new versatile SMA and SMB package line, via the Government of India’s SPECS, CDIL becomes India’s first Silicon Carbide components manufacturer, scaled to make auto-grade devices, including Silicon Carbide MOSFETs, Silicon Carbide Schottky Diodes, Rectifiers, Zeners and TVS Diodes among others for the global as well as the domestic market.

The expansion of assembly lines will increase CDIL’s total capacity at the facility to 600 million units annually.

The new line inauguration was also attended by Shri Tejveer Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, IT, Government of Punjab, and Shri Amitesh Kumar Sinha, IRAS, Joint Secretary, MeitY and other senior dignitaries of MeitY and Invest Punjab.

With the impending surge in electric vehicles (EVs), power management devices, and solar-powered panels, globally as well as in India, and their increased reliance on wide band gap electronics, CDIL identified and laid focus on Silicon Carbide (SiC) products. SiC is an emerging technology that allows for much-improved efficiencies and power-handling capabilities, especially in high-power charging applications and battery management systems. CDIL spent R&D efforts pursuing SiC technology so as to build proficiency and assist in the world’s switch to Electric Vehicles.

CDIL has also established an advanced testing and reliability laboratory at the Mohali plant. The facility, a one-of-a-kind in India, is equipped to meticulously qualify the semiconductor products according to the stringent standards stipulated by the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC), ensuring they meet the rigorous demands of the automotive domain.

Commenting on the same, Prithvideep Singh, General Manager, CDIL said, “In line with our steadfast commitment to innovation and market diversification, CDIL Semiconductors has strategically positioned itself to meet the burgeoning demands of the automotive sector, both within India and on a global scale. Even though SiC devices are notoriously hard to manufacture at scale, we have spent efforts and investment to master them. CDIL has been able to innovate on the brittleness and complexity around the production of SiC devices and has earned the resounding approval of large multinational customers in export markets.”

Speaking at the launch of the new assembly lines, Amitesh Kumar Sinha, IRAS, Joint Secretary, MeitY, said, “India’s Semiconductor mission is a key focus for both the Union and the State Governments, and there have been many developments in the sector. Yet, India still has much to catch up, with a projected surge in demand to approximately $110 billion by 2030. At MeitY, our objective is to modernize and commercialize SCL with a focus on making it an R&D hub for developing the semiconductor ecosystem in the country.

It’s heartening to see CDIL taking the lead in the Packaging of discrete semiconductor devices. CDIL has the capability for R&D, Design, and Packaging. Earlier, they also had a fabrication facility. I hope CDIL will also consider setting up a discrete fab in the country by availing of financial support under the Semicon India program in the future. As CDIL and SCL join hands for knowledge exchange, India can look forward to more indigenous chip manufacturing and packaging for India and the world in the upcoming future.”

CDIL also signed an MoU with the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), a research institute in Mohali under MeitY, undertaking research and development in the field of semiconductor technology. Both parties will aim to establish a comprehensive framework wherein SCL’s specialized knowledge and wafer fabrication facilities are utilized to produce indigenized wafers for CDIL’s discrete semiconductor devices, using CDIL’s proprietary manufacturing processes. This collaborative effort is aimed as a significant stride towards advancing India’s semiconductor ambitions in fostering a stronger, self-reliant industry in the region.

Silicon Carbide (SiC) material boasts a significantly wider bandgap compared to traditional semiconductor materials like silicon. A wide bandgap (~3.26 eV for SiC) enables SiC devices to operate at higher temperatures and handle higher breakdown voltages. Consequently, SiC emerges as the optimal choice for the electric vehicle (EV), power management, and solar sectors, as it allows semiconductor components to operate reliably in high temperatures, reducing the need for complex cooling systems.

The company has already initiated pilot production in August with 50 million units and promptly delivered its inaugural batch to customers in both the domestic and international markets. CDIL operates manufacturing facilities and a reliability lab in Mohali and Delhi, serving industries with a strong emphasis on the Automotive, Defence, and Aerospace sectors. With 59 years of legacy, a worldwide customer base, with many industry leaders as loyal customers spread throughout the world including China, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, USA, and the UK.

About Continental Device India Pvt Ltd (CDIL)

Continental Device India Pvt. Ltd., (CDIL) has been a pioneer and a world-class Semiconductor Manufacturer of silicon chips and devices since 1964. With 59 years of semiconductor manufacturing experience, strict standards of quality, constant improvements in R&D, technology, and processes, and the hard work of a team of dedicated professionals, CDIL today is an Indian brand that is recognized globally. As India is poised for rapid take-off and is set to become a manufacturing center for the world, we too look forward to setting new standards of excellence in electronics and introducing our range of products and services to the furthest corners of the globe.