Power semiconductor specialist EyeQ Lab has completed preparations for mass production at its dedicated 8-inch (200 mm) silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor line.
Industry sources said on July 23 that EyeQ Lab achieved an average yield of more than 90% in its mass-production validation of the 8-inch SiC line. The company could hold a first-shipment ceremony at its Busan headquarters as early as next month.
The result marks the company's first mass-production validation after stabilizing its processes and improving yields at Korea's first dedicated 8-inch SiC production facility. The fab was completed last September in Busan's specialized power-semiconductor materials, parts and equipment complex.
Compared with 6-inch wafers, 8-inch wafers provide about 78% more surface area, improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing cost per device. EyeQ Lab has also completed Production Readiness Approval (PRA), establishing a stable mass-production supply system tailored to customer specifications.
SiC power semiconductors are next-generation devices that offer lower power losses and strong performance under high-voltage and high-temperature conditions compared with conventional silicon-based power semiconductors.
They can be used in high-efficiency home appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, as well as electric vehicles, ultra-fast chargers, renewable-energy systems, energy storage systems (ESS) and AI data centers. As AI data centers require efficient power conversion and stable delivery at massive scale, high-efficiency, durable SiC devices are increasingly viewed as essential components of next-generation power infrastructure.
EyeQ Lab, which was selected as a Busan investment-attraction company in 2024, built the country's first dedicated 8-inch SiC fab in Gijang County and relocated its headquarters to Busan. The company operates as an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), covering the full SiC value chain from design and wafer processing to packaging.
The company is also expanding collaboration with local materials, components and equipment suppliers as well as research institutions, positioning itself as an anchor company in Busan's power-semiconductor ecosystem.
EyeQ Lab's dedicated Busan fab has an annual production capacity of up to 36,000 8-inch wafers. Following its PRA approval, the company plans to broaden supply to high-growth markets including EVs, AI data centers, renewable energy, industrial power-conversion equipment and ESS. It also plans to develop high-voltage SiC power semiconductors rated at 3.3 kV and 6.5 kV.
“The achievement of an average yield above 90% and PRA approval in the first mass-production validation at Korea's first 8-inch SiC fab demonstrates EyeQ Lab's technology and manufacturing competitiveness,” said Kwon-je Kim, CEO of EyeQ Lab. “We are in supply negotiations with TELD, a leading Chinese EV charging company. Building on this, we will expand our global customer base across AI data centers, EVs and energy markets.”
