Tokyo Electron Device and ITES Collaborate on Inspection Solution to Visualize Latent Defects in SiC Devices at the Wafer Level
Tokyo Electron Device (TED) and ITES have announced a collaboration in the field of latent defect inspection solutions for SiC (silicon carbide) devices. They will jointly develop and sell the 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100' to visualize latent crystal defects within SiC wafers using UV laser irradiation. This partnership aims to enhance the development of highly reliable devices for customers, primarily in the power electronics sector, by shortening evaluation times and improving quality assurance processes.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 14, 2026 at 15:51 (4h 19m after Collected)
Tokyo Electron Device Ltd. (HQ: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President & Representative Director: Takayoshi Miyamoto; hereinafter 'TED') and ITES Co., Ltd. (HQ: Otsu, Shiga; President & Representative Director: Yasuyuki Igarashi; hereinafter 'ITES'), a company specializing in analysis and reliability evaluation services for electronic components, are pleased to announce their collaboration in the field of latent defect inspection solutions for SiC (silicon carbide) devices.
Through the development and sales of the new 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100,' which expands and visualizes latent crystal defects within SiC wafers using UV laser irradiation, the two companies will strengthen their system for providing this solution and support customers, mainly in the power electronics field, in developing highly reliable devices.
■ Background
To achieve energy conservation and carbon neutrality, SiC devices are being increasingly adopted in various fields such as automotive, industrial equipment, and renewable energy. However, current-induced degradation caused by a crystal defect unique to SiC known as Basal Plane Dislocation (BPD) has become a critical technical issue affecting long-term reliability.
These latent defects are difficult to detect with conventional inspection methods, and evaluating the effects of changes in materials or process conditions often requires months of sample testing. As a result, prolonged development cycles and increased evaluation costs have been one of the barriers to the full-scale adoption of SiC devices.
■ Collaboration Details
To enhance the reliability of SiC devices and streamline the evaluation process, TED and ITES will promote the following initiatives:
・Development and sales of the 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100,' which reproduces current-induced degradation through UV laser irradiation to expand and visualize latent BPDs within SiC wafers (orders scheduled to begin in September 2026).
・Providing evaluation services and solution proposals for material and device manufacturers.
・Evaluation and analysis support combining latent defect data with electrical characteristics and reliability test results.
・Information dissemination and market education through technical seminars, white papers, and case study content.
TED will be responsible for the planning and provision of the equipment and system side, based on its expertise in developing and selling semiconductor wafer inspection equipment. ITES will leverage its measurement and analysis technology, cultivated over many years of providing electronic component analysis and reliability evaluation services, to design evaluation menus and handle measurement and data analysis.
■ Features of the 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100'
1. Wafer-Level Visualization of Latent BPDs
・Rapidly expands and reveals latent BPDs within SiC wafers using UV laser irradiation.
・Enables the entire wafer surface to be mapped for defect distribution, which was previously difficult to detect.
2. Shortened Lead Time for Material and Process Evaluation
・Allows for wafer-level comparison and evaluation of changes in defect distribution due to different material lots or process conditions.
・Supports shorter development cycles and reduced prototyping costs by replacing a portion of sample tests that traditionally took several months.
3. Application in Reliability Design and Quality Assurance
・Enhances the analysis of device failure causes by combining latent defect maps with electrical characteristics and reliability test results.
・Can be utilized for optimizing material selection, process conditions, and considering product warranty conditions.
4. Also Available as an Evaluation Service
・In addition to equipment installation, the companies are considering offering this as a contract evaluation service through ITES to meet the needs for trial evaluations before introduction.
Details on the 'ITS-SCX100' can be found here:
URL: https://www.inrevium.com/product/sic-latent-crystal-defect/
■ Future Developments
Through this collaboration, both companies will prioritize establishing a system to provide latent defect evaluation solutions in the SiC device field, contributing to the improvement of customers' mass production quality. In the future, they will also consider expanding to other power device materials and related inspection solutions based on market needs.
TED will contribute to the advancement and stable operation of customers' production sites by combining various solutions, including this collaboration, to address themes such as 'predictive maintenance,' 'inspection automation,' and 'investigation of quality defect causes' in the digital factory domain.
Comments from both companies regarding this collaboration are as follows:
Tokyo Electron Device Ltd.
Corporate Officer, Executive Officer, PB BU/BUGM, Mitsutaka Kamimoto
'Tokyo Electron Device has been working to solve challenges at our customers' development and production sites by proposing solutions cultivated through our semiconductor wafer inspection equipment business. By collaborating with ITES, which has extensive knowledge in the analysis and reliability evaluation of electronic components, we will strengthen our ability to provide comprehensive support from the visualization of latent defects in SiC devices to their evaluation and analysis. By combining the strengths of both companies, we aim to streamline our customers' material evaluation and development processes and contribute to the development of highly reliable devices.'
ITES Co., Ltd.
President & Representative Director, Yasuyuki Igarashi
'ITES has contributed to ensuring quality and shortening lead times in our customers' product development by leveraging our long-cultivated technology and track record in semiconductor evaluation and reliability testing. Through this collaboration, by combining Tokyo Electron Device's solution proposal capabilities with our evaluation services, we will strengthen our system to provide integrated support from design and development to reliability verification, and we hope to further contribute to enhancing our customers' competitiveness.'
Through the development and sales of the new 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100,' which expands and visualizes latent crystal defects within SiC wafers using UV laser irradiation, the two companies will strengthen their system for providing this solution and support customers, mainly in the power electronics field, in developing highly reliable devices.
■ Background
To achieve energy conservation and carbon neutrality, SiC devices are being increasingly adopted in various fields such as automotive, industrial equipment, and renewable energy. However, current-induced degradation caused by a crystal defect unique to SiC known as Basal Plane Dislocation (BPD) has become a critical technical issue affecting long-term reliability.
These latent defects are difficult to detect with conventional inspection methods, and evaluating the effects of changes in materials or process conditions often requires months of sample testing. As a result, prolonged development cycles and increased evaluation costs have been one of the barriers to the full-scale adoption of SiC devices.
■ Collaboration Details
To enhance the reliability of SiC devices and streamline the evaluation process, TED and ITES will promote the following initiatives:
・Development and sales of the 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100,' which reproduces current-induced degradation through UV laser irradiation to expand and visualize latent BPDs within SiC wafers (orders scheduled to begin in September 2026).
・Providing evaluation services and solution proposals for material and device manufacturers.
・Evaluation and analysis support combining latent defect data with electrical characteristics and reliability test results.
・Information dissemination and market education through technical seminars, white papers, and case study content.
TED will be responsible for the planning and provision of the equipment and system side, based on its expertise in developing and selling semiconductor wafer inspection equipment. ITES will leverage its measurement and analysis technology, cultivated over many years of providing electronic component analysis and reliability evaluation services, to design evaluation menus and handle measurement and data analysis.
■ Features of the 'SiC Latent Defect Inspection System / Current-Induced Degradation Simulator ITS-SCX100'
1. Wafer-Level Visualization of Latent BPDs
・Rapidly expands and reveals latent BPDs within SiC wafers using UV laser irradiation.
・Enables the entire wafer surface to be mapped for defect distribution, which was previously difficult to detect.
2. Shortened Lead Time for Material and Process Evaluation
・Allows for wafer-level comparison and evaluation of changes in defect distribution due to different material lots or process conditions.
・Supports shorter development cycles and reduced prototyping costs by replacing a portion of sample tests that traditionally took several months.
3. Application in Reliability Design and Quality Assurance
・Enhances the analysis of device failure causes by combining latent defect maps with electrical characteristics and reliability test results.
・Can be utilized for optimizing material selection, process conditions, and considering product warranty conditions.
4. Also Available as an Evaluation Service
・In addition to equipment installation, the companies are considering offering this as a contract evaluation service through ITES to meet the needs for trial evaluations before introduction.
Details on the 'ITS-SCX100' can be found here:
URL: https://www.inrevium.com/product/sic-latent-crystal-defect/
■ Future Developments
Through this collaboration, both companies will prioritize establishing a system to provide latent defect evaluation solutions in the SiC device field, contributing to the improvement of customers' mass production quality. In the future, they will also consider expanding to other power device materials and related inspection solutions based on market needs.
TED will contribute to the advancement and stable operation of customers' production sites by combining various solutions, including this collaboration, to address themes such as 'predictive maintenance,' 'inspection automation,' and 'investigation of quality defect causes' in the digital factory domain.
Comments from both companies regarding this collaboration are as follows:
Tokyo Electron Device Ltd.
Corporate Officer, Executive Officer, PB BU/BUGM, Mitsutaka Kamimoto
'Tokyo Electron Device has been working to solve challenges at our customers' development and production sites by proposing solutions cultivated through our semiconductor wafer inspection equipment business. By collaborating with ITES, which has extensive knowledge in the analysis and reliability evaluation of electronic components, we will strengthen our ability to provide comprehensive support from the visualization of latent defects in SiC devices to their evaluation and analysis. By combining the strengths of both companies, we aim to streamline our customers' material evaluation and development processes and contribute to the development of highly reliable devices.'
ITES Co., Ltd.
President & Representative Director, Yasuyuki Igarashi
'ITES has contributed to ensuring quality and shortening lead times in our customers' product development by leveraging our long-cultivated technology and track record in semiconductor evaluation and reliability testing. Through this collaboration, by combining Tokyo Electron Device's solution proposal capabilities with our evaluation services, we will strengthen our system to provide integrated support from design and development to reliability verification, and we hope to further contribute to enhancing our customers' competitiveness.'