PITTSBURGH, Jan. 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — II‐VI Incorporated (Nasdaq: IIVI), a leading provider of silicon carbide substrates for power electronics, today announced that it will supply 200 mm silicon carbide (SiC) substrates under REACTION, a Horizon 2020 four year program funded by the European Commission.

The goal of the Horizon 2020 program is to establish in Europe the world’s first 200 mm pilot production facility for power electronics based on SiC, an advancement from today’s standard of 150 mm. Through this program, the European Commission is investing in the capabilities required to scale up production of SiC-based power electronics. SiC achieves superior efficiency, higher energy density and lower system-level cost per watt. Power electronics based on SiC have demonstrated their potential to have a highly-beneficial impact on the environment via significant reductions in carbon-dioxide emissions.

“II-VI introduced the world’s first 200 mm SiC substrates in 2015,” said Martin Benzing, Managing Director, II-VI GmbH. “The strength of II-VI’s technology platform is based on a strong portfolio of 30 active patents and on highly differentiated and proprietary manufacturing platforms and technologies.”

Participants in this Horizon 2020 program represent the entire value chain for power electronics. The mission is to demonstrate the possibility of scaling the mass production of 200 mm substrates for SiC devices in power applications ranging from 600 V to 3.3 kV. The ultimate goal is to achieve the cost, performance and size requirements that will enable their broad adoption in emerging clean technology applications, including in electric cars, renewable energy systems and smart power grids.

About II-VI Incorporated

II-VI Incorporated, a global leader in engineered materials and optoelectronic components, is a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, the Company has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. The Company produces a wide variety of application-specific photonic and electronic materials and components, and deploys them in various forms, including integrated with advanced software to support our customers. For more information, please visit us at www.ii-vi.com.

CONTACT:
Mark Lourie
Director of Corporate Communications
[email protected]
www.ii-vi.com/contact-us

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/63aebe2f-8539-4e9a-b1c6-775aa929e4e7