Wolfspeed Inc saw its shares climb 13% in premarket trading on Monday following the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding with GE Aerospace to cooperate on the development of high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) technology.
The MOU sets out plans for the two companies to work together on standards for high-voltage SiC-based power modules. Those modules are intended to support a range of applications including solid-state transformers, industrial electrification projects, and next-generation aerospace and defense platforms.
As part of the agreement, Wolfspeed will supply its 10 kV MOSFET die. The partners also plan to jointly define standard high-voltage power module formats for commercial introduction, aligning on shapes, interfaces and specifications needed for production-ready modules.
Company statements describe the collaboration as an effort to move high-voltage SiC solutions more quickly toward commercial readiness and broader market acceptance across industrial, aerospace and defense sectors. The MOU also identifies supply chain resilience as a goal, with standardized module formats expected to support wider adoption.
Higher-voltage power modules of the type targeted by this collaboration are intended to reduce the number of series-connected devices required in systems and to lower overall system complexity. According to the announcement, fewer series connections can produce solutions that are more compact, more efficient and more reliable.
GE Aerospace has recently reached milestones in high-voltage power technology. The company qualified high-voltage power units for U.S. military ground vehicles, indicating those units are production ready. GE Aerospace also demonstrated its fourth generation of silicon carbide power MOSFET devices at its Research Center in Niskayuna, New York.
Wolfspeed is positioned as a leader in high-volume 200 mm silicon carbide manufacturing and has introduced what it describes as the world’s first commercially available 10 kV SiC MOSFET. The scope of the MOU is noted to align with the United States Government's stated priorities of accelerating critical technologies to achieve faster time-to-power for strategic markets such as Artificial Intelligence.
Context and implications
- The agreement combines Wolfspeed's manufacturing scale in 200 mm SiC with GE Aerospace's recent device demonstrations and military qualifications.
- Standardized module formats and supply of 10 kV MOSFET die aim to facilitate commercial rollouts for industrial electrification and aerospace and defense applications.
- The collaboration is presented as addressing both market acceptance and supply chain resilience for higher-voltage SiC solutions.
What remains to be determined
- Timelines for commercial introduction of jointly standardized module formats are not specified in the announcement.
- Details on production volumes, pricing and specific commercial partners for module rollout were not provided.