Coherent thickens silicon carbide epitaxy for 10kV AI data center power devices

Coherent has expanded its silicon carbide (SiC) thick epitaxy capabilities, targeting power devices for high-voltage AI data center and industrial power applications up to 10 kV. The company is positioning the work around next-generation data center power architectures and higher-voltage industrial electrification use cases, where conversion losses directly translate into operating cost.

Coherent’s latest 150 mm and 200 mm thick epitaxy platforms support device architectures up to 10 kV in production. The company also reports demonstrated capability extending beyond 10 kV. Coherent ties the higher-voltage capability to more compact, energy-efficient power conversion systems intended for multi-megawatt data centers and industrial infrastructure, with an emphasis on meeting reliability requirements for large-scale deployments.

For data center engineers, the practical implication is on the power train, not the IT rack: higher-voltage semiconductor devices can change how much conversion and distribution hardware is needed to move power through UPS and downstream distribution, especially as AI clusters drive higher power density. But moving to multi-kilovolt device classes is only useful if it holds up under real-world switching, thermal, and reliability constraints, because every extra point of efficiency has to survive at scale.

“Next-generation datacenter power architectures and high-voltage industrial systems are key drivers for silicon carbide adoption,” said Gary Ruland, Senior Vice President, Silicon Carbide LLC. “Our new thick epitaxy capability for multi-kilovolt SiC devices enables customers to achieve higher efficiency and power density in critical applications such as energy infrastructure, high-capacity uninterruptible power supplies, and advanced power distribution systems in AI datacenters.”

Coherent said it is expanding its silicon carbide portfolio “from substrates to advanced epitaxy” to support customers across industrial, automotive, and energy markets, including high-efficiency data center power systems. More details are available on Coherent’s SiC substrates and epitaxy page.