Mitsubishi Electric to Invest in Coherent’s new silicon carbide business

Mitsubishi Electric will invest US$500 million (approx. 75 billion yen) in Coherent Corp.’s new silicon carbide (SiC) spin-off.Mitsubishi Electric said it is aiming to expand its SiC power device business by strengthening vertical collaboration with Coherent, who has been one of its suppliers of SiC substrates.The electric vehicle market is expanding worldwide and is one of several emerging applications driving the exponential growth of SiC power devices, which offer lower energy loss, higher operating temperatures and faster switching speeds than conventional silicon power devices. The high efficiency of SiC power devices is expected to contribute significantly to global decarbonization and green transformation.Mitsubishi Electric has been a leader in SiC power modules for high-speed trains, high-voltage industrial applications, and home appliances for many years. The company made history by launching the world’s first SiC power modules for air conditioners in 2010, and became the first supplier of a full SiC power module for Shinkansen high-speed trains in 2015.