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After eight years and an investment of at least SEK500m ($50m), ABB is abandoning its silicon carbide, SiC, project. The products, intended for power-current applications, are not useable and the company currently sees no solution to the problem.
About two years ago, ABB announced that its SiC power diodes were ready to leave the lab. Soon it became apparent that the components quickly deteriorated during operation. Last spring, ABB still claimed problems would soon be solved. But now, former project leader Christer Ovrén believes it will take many years, mainly because of imperfections in the raw material.
The SiC wafers, which ABB use in their production, contain small faults or dislocations in the crystal structure. When a heavy current runs through the components, energy is released which triggers a change in the material's structure. Christer Ovrén compares it to a crack in a disc which grows and finally brakes if the disc is bent.
The closure of the project hits the company's test and development site in Västerås as well as research and lab activities based at Linköping University and the Royal Institute of Technology in Kista.
ABB says it will continue to follow SiC research and development. The company also intends to continue its collaboration with universities and other research organisations. However, it is not yet clear whether this will entail any more financial investment by the company.
The SiC wafers, which ABB use in their production, contain small faults or dislocations in the crystal structure. When a heavy current runs through the components, energy is released which triggers a change in the material's structure. Christer Ovrén compares it to a crack in a disc which grows and finally brakes if the disc is bent.
The closure of the project hits the company's test and development site in Västerås as well as research and lab activities based at Linköping University and the Royal Institute of Technology in Kista.
ABB says it will continue to follow SiC research and development. The company also intends to continue its collaboration with universities and other research organisations. However, it is not yet clear whether this will entail any more financial investment by the company.
Gittan Cedervall
