Sanan Optoelectronics: 8-Inch Silicon Carbide Chip Production Line Under Installation
Sanan Optoelectronics recently provided updates on its 8-inch silicon carbide (SiC) project progress at Hunan Sanan and Chongqing Sanan through an interactive platform, addressing investor inquiries.
Sanan Optoelectronics recently provided updates on its 8-inch silicon carbide (SiC) project progress at Hunan Sanan and Chongqing Sanan through an interactive platform, addressing investor inquiries.
Sanan Optoelectronics stated that Hunan Sanan currently has a supporting silicon carbide capacity of 16,000 wafers per month, and after subsequent expansion, the annual production capacity will reach 360,000 wafers. Currently, the 8-inch silicon carbide substrates are being shipped in small batches, while the production line for 8-inch silicon carbide chips is undergoing installation and commissioning. At the end of August, Chongqing Sanan achieved a full-line startup at the substrate plant, with current production capacity at 1,000 wafers per month. Regarding the Hunan Sanan project, on July 24, Hunan Sanan Semiconductor held a ceremony for the M6B equipment entry into the second chip factory, marking the imminent startup of phase two of the Hunan Sanan silicon carbide project.
It is reported that the total investment in the Hunan Sanan silicon carbide project is RMB 16 billion, aimed at building a vertically integrated mass production platform for 6-inch and 8-inch compatible silicon carbide across the full industry chain. Once fully operational, the project will have an annual manufacturing capacity of 360,000 6-inch silicon carbide wafers and 480,000 8-inch silicon carbide wafers. By December of this year, the M6B is expected to achieve a full-line startup, and 8-inch silicon carbide chips will officially enter mass production, signifying Hunan Sanan Semiconductor's transformation into an 8-inch silicon carbide vertically integrated manufacturer.
On the interactive platform, Sanan Optoelectronics also mentioned that Hunan Sanan has achieved small-batch shipments of SiC MOSFETs for automotive chargers and air conditioning compressors, and SiC MOSFETs for main drive inverters are undergoing reliability validation with major new energy vehicle customers. Regarding the Chongqing Sanan project, in June 2023, Sanan Optoelectronics and STMicroelectronics simultaneously announced their joint venture to establish a plant in Chongqing for large-scale production of 8-inch silicon carbide chips. The project is expected to have a total investment of USD 3.2 billion and is scheduled to reach full production by 2028.
In addition, Sanan Optoelectronics independently invested RMB 7 billion to build an 8-inch silicon carbide substrate plant. Chongqing Sanan, the "substrate plant," was fully funded by Hunan Sanan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sanan Optoelectronics, in July 2023. It specializes in silicon carbide wafer growth and substrate manufacturing, with an annual production capacity of 480,000 8-inch silicon carbide substrates. The "chip plant," AnYiFa, was established in August 2023 as a joint venture between Hunan Sanan (51%) and STMicroelectronics (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (49%), with an annual production capacity of 480,000 automotive-grade 8-inch SiC MOSFET power chips. Currently, the substrate plant at Chongqing Sanan has already achieved a full-line startup, while the chip plant AnYiFa is expected to reach full-line operation by the end of November.
