German chipmaker signs agreement with Chinese silicon carbide supplier

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2021 shows a view of the integrated circuit zone in the Intelligent Industry & Information Technology Exhibition Area of the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG on Wednesday announced that it had signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese silicon carbide supplier TankeBlue Semiconductor Co. Ltd., who will provide the German company with competitive and high-quality silicon carbide products on a long-term basis.

The cooperation between the two sides is to ensure the general stability of the supply chain, meet the increasing demand for silicon carbide semiconductor in China's various sectors including automobile, solar, electric vehicle charging and energy storage systems, as well as promote the rapid development of emerging semiconductor materials, according to the announcement.

Currently, Infineon is accelerating its investment in silicon carbide technologies and products, under which circumstance the company is implementing a sourcing strategy that involves multiple suppliers in various countries, as a bid to enhance the resilience of supply chain and benefit its customers, said Angelique van der Burg, chief procurement officer at Infineon.

Through working with Infineon, TankeBlue is committed to continuously improving its silicon carbide materials and developing next-generation technology, said Yang Jian, CEO of the Chinese company.

It is learned that silicon carbide is a small-sized and light-weighted kind of semiconductor material, with higher resistance for pressure and temperature, compared with other silicon-based materials.