Shares of Soitec jumped about 8% on Monday following the announcement of a commercial partnership with ZenSemi, a Chinese specialty foundry. The agreement commits Soitec to supplying 300mm Power-SOI substrates that will underpin ZenSemi’s BCD-on-SOI manufacturing process.
BCD-on-SOI is a wafer-level approach that assembles bipolar, CMOS and DMOS transistor types on a single silicon-on-insulator platform. That configuration allows a single die to perform both precision analog functions and high-voltage power switching, features valued in several demanding end markets.
The silicon-on-insulator base used in the process reduces parasitic capacitance and enhances energy efficiency, attributes that make BCD-on-SOI attractive for applications with stringent performance and power requirements. The announcement highlighted the technology’s suitability for automotive systems, industrial equipment and power management electronics.
"By combining Soitec’s expertise in the supply of engineered substrates with ZenSemi’s specialty foundry capabilities, the two companies aim to provide fabless companies and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) with a high-performance manufacturing platform tailored to market needs," the companies said in a joint statement.
Soitec and ZenSemi indicated that when ZenSemi’s production lines achieve full volume, the partners expect to serve customers both within China and internationally. The target end markets named in the announcement include automotive, artificial intelligence and industrial sectors.
The deal links Soitec’s engineered-substrate manufacturing with a specialty foundry workflow focused on BCD-on-SOI, a combination the companies portray as enabling for customers that require mixed-signal and power-management capabilities on a single chip. The arrangement is structured around supply of 300mm Power-SOI wafers specifically configured for ZenSemi’s BCD-on-SOI process.
Market reaction was immediate, with Soitec shares rising by approximately 8% on the trading day of the announcement. The statement from the two companies emphasized the intention to address both domestic Chinese demand and broader global customer bases once ZenSemi ramps to full production capacity.
Clear summary: Soitec agreed to supply 300mm Power-SOI substrates to Chinese foundry ZenSemi for use in ZenSemi’s BCD-on-SOI process. The technology combines bipolar, CMOS and DMOS transistors on an SOI wafer, improving efficiency and supporting mixed-signal and high-voltage functions for automotive, AI and industrial applications. Soitec’s stock rose about 8% following the announcement.