Coherent Expands Silicon Carbide Platform with 300mm Capability to Support Growing Demand of AI and Datacenters
Rhea-AI Summary
Coherent (NYSE: COHR) announced a next-generation 300mm silicon carbide (SiC) platform on Dec. 3, 2025 to address rising thermal-efficiency demands in AI datacenter infrastructure.
The company said it adapted its proven 200mm expertise to develop 300mm conductive SiC substrates that offer low resistivity, low defect density, high homogeneity, and improved thermal management. Coherent plans to ramp the platform in high volumes and also advance the technology for AR/VR devices and power electronics, enabling more devices per wafer and lower cost per chip.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insights
Coherent’s 300mm SiC platform is a material and scale milestone that can lower per‑unit costs and support higher thermal performance for datacenters.
Coherent expands its proven 200mm silicon carbide expertise to a next‑generation
The key dependencies are manufacturing yield at 300mm and the planned high‑volume ramp; both determine cost per chip and time to market. If defect density and homogeneity scale from 200mm to 300mm as claimed, wafer economics improve because more die fit per wafer, but the text gives no yield or timeline figures, creating uncertainty.
Watch for concrete manufacturing metrics over the next 6–18 months: published yields, wafer fab capacity additions, and any disclosed cost‑per‑wafer or time‑to‑volume milestones. These will signal whether the technical attributes translate into durable cost and supply advantages.
The 300mm SiC platform targets rising thermal loads in AI datacenters and could materially affect energy efficiency if volume production succeeds.
The release links larger‑diameter SiC wafers to gains in thermal performance and energy efficiency for AI datacenters by enabling low‑dissipation, high‑frequency devices. It also cites secondary applications in AR/VR and power electronics where wafer scale and material properties deliver device density and cost benefits.
Risks include the absence of disclosed performance benchmarks and no stated customer agreements; technical claims are plausible but unverified in the text. Short‑term impact depends on how quickly the company ramps to the stated "high volumes" and on external demand for SiC in datacenter power and thermal subsystems.
Concrete items to watch in the next 6–18 months are announced customer design wins, sample deliveries, and any published benchmarking of thermal efficiency in datacenter modules; these milestones will clarify commercial traction and timing.
SAXONBURG, Pa., Dec. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in photonics, today announced a major milestone in its next-generation 300mm silicon carbide (SiC) platform to address increasing thermal efficiency demands in AI datacenter infrastructure.
Coherent, a pioneer in large-diameter SiC substrates, has leveraged its proven 200mm platform expertise to develop a next-generation 300mm solution, engineered to manage rising thermal loads, that meets the accelerating performance and scalability needs of modern datacenters. As these systems demand higher power density, faster switching, and superior thermal management, the transition to larger diameter SiC wafers unlock major gains in energy efficiency and thermal performance.
While datacenter thermal management applications are the primary focus of the platform, Coherent is also advancing its SiC technology for AR/VR devices and power electronics through continued materials innovation and expanded manufacturing capacity.
“AI is transforming the thermal-management landscape in datacenters, and silicon carbide is emerging as one of the foundational materials enabling this scalability,” said Gary Ruland, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Coherent. “Our 300mm platform, which we plan to ramp in high volumes, delivers new levels of thermal efficiency that translate directly into faster, more power-efficient AI datacenters.”
The platform’s conductive SiC substrates provide low resistivity, low defect density, and high homogeneity, enabling low-dissipation, high-frequency, and good thermal stability. In AI and data infrastructure, their superior properties boost energy efficiency and thermal performance in next-generation datacenter systems. The same technology enables thinner and more efficient waveguides for AR smart glasses and VR headsets, improving reliability in compact immersive display modules. In power electronics, the transition to 300mm allows more devices per wafer and reduces cost per chip, supporting applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and industrial automation.
The 300mm platform reinforces Coherent’s leadership in wide-bandgap semiconductor materials, enabling innovation across datacenters, optics and power applications.
For more info, please visit: https://www.coherent.com/materials/wide-bandgap-electronics/sic-substrates-epitaxy
About Coherent
Coherent is the global photonics leader. We harness photons to drive innovation. Industry leaders in the datacenter, communications, and industrial markets rely on Coherent’s world-leading technology to fuel their own innovation and growth.
Founded in 1971 and operating in more than 20 countries, Coherent brings the industry’s broadest, deepest technology stack; unmatched supply chain resilience; and global scale to help its customers solve their toughest technology challenges. Visit us at coherent.com.
Media Contact:
FAQ
What did Coherent (COHR) announce on December 3, 2025 about silicon carbide?
How will Coherent's 300mm SiC platform affect AI datacenters and COHR shareholders?
Does the Coherent (COHR) announcement mention other applications for the 300mm SiC platform?
What material properties did Coherent highlight for its 300mm SiC substrates in the Dec. 3, 2025 release?
Will Coherent (COHR) increase manufacturing capacity for the 300mm SiC platform?
Where can investors find more information about Coherent's SiC substrates and 300mm platform?
