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DuPont Electronics & Imaging Divests SiC Wafer Business to SK Siltron

September 10, 2019 by Paul Shepard

DuPont Electronics & Imaging (E&I) today announced it has signed an agreement to sell its Compound Semiconductor Solutions (CSS) business to SK Siltron for an estimated $450 million. CSS is focused on the production of silicon-carbide (SiC) wafers for the fabrication power electronics devices. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2019, subject to customary regulatory approvals for closing.

The transaction is consistent with DuPont's strategy of active portfolio management and disciplined capital allocation to further align the company's portfolio with high return opportunities.

"The DuPont CSS business has state-of-the-art technologies for SiC wafer production to serve the power electronics market, but it is not a strategic priority for the E&I business," said Jon Kemp, President, DuPont Electronics & Imaging. "Given its strategic focus, we believe SK Siltron will be a better owner and that the CSS business will thrive under SK Siltron's ownership."

About DuPont CSS

DuPont CSS is a vertically-integrated SiC wafer supplier with technology and manufacturing expertise from crystal growth through wafer fabrication and epitaxial growth.

CSS offers a SiC wafer grading structure that sets clear standards for specifying tolerances on defects, such as micropipe density (MPD) and dislocation density (EPD, TED, TSD and BPD). This grading structure allows power device designers to more confidently pinpoint the SiC substrate that optimizes the performance and cost of their next-generation power device design.

CSS offers both 100 and 150 mm SiC wafers, as well as SiC epitaxy service (n- and p-type) to support various companies within the entire power electronics value chain. Specifications can be tuned to customer needs, with standard thicknesses up to 20 µm.