Infineon buys Siltectra, banking on “cold split” technology
The semiconductor company Infineon is taking over the Dresden-based startup Siltectra for 124 million euros. The latter has developed an innovative process called cold split, which is used in chip processing to save material and process crystals more efficiently.
Infineon is planning to use the cold split technology, which will allow the company “to split silicon carbide (SiC) wafers, thus doubling the number of chips out of one wafer”. SiC products are used in the powertrain of electric vehicles, among other uses.
Infineon has taken over Siltectra from the venture capital investor MIG Fonds. “This acquisition will help us expand our excellent portfolio with the new material silicon carbide as well. Our system understanding and our unique know-how on thin wafer technology will be ideally complemented by the cold split technology and the innovative capacity of Siltectra,” said Dr. Reinhard Ploss, CEO of Infineon. Ploss hopes that the technology will help improve their economy and resource use, particularly as the company plans to expand alongside the growing EV industry.
Siltectra was founded in 2010, and owns a patent portfolio with more than 50 patent families, according to Infineon. The further development of the cold split technology will take place at the previous and current Siltectra facility in Dresden, as well as in Infineon’s facility in Vallach, Austria. Infineon has announced that they are currently the only company in the world capable of manufacturing semi- conductors on 300 mm silicon wafers on an industrial scale. Infineon asserts that this technology can now be transferred to SiC. The industrial scale use of the technology is planned to be realized over the next five years.
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