Silicon carbide foundry to rekindle Glenrothes’ flame?
1 min read
The electronics industry is typified by the appearance of 'wonder materials'. There's a good reason; the silicon substrates used to create almost all electronic devices are running out of steam and other materials are needed to improve their performance.
Alongside the feeding frenzy around the potential of graphene, the last couple of years have also seen growing interest in silicon carbide - primarily for power electronics devices. Here, SiC tolerates higher temperatures and higher voltages than silicon, but there are also applications in leds.
Raytheon's opening of an SiC foundry in Glenrothes is an interesting move: it claims the £3.5million invested alongside the Technology Strategy Board will put the UK in a 'leading position' to exploit the material.
While jobs will be created - no numbers have been given as yet - Raytheon will be offering apprentices, undergraduates, graduates and PhD students and undergraduates the opportunity to work with next generation semiconductor technology.
Three decades ago, Glenrothes was one of three centres in Scotland looking to exploit the potential of the electronics industry, but things didn't quite go as planned. Let's hope this investment lives up to its potential.
