Heraeus joins EU project FastLane

This project, spearheaded by Valeo France, spans 36 months from 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2027.

Titled, "Boosting the European Value Chain for Sustainable Power Electronics," the FastLane project unites 29 partners with a combined budget of €96 million, including €23 million from the EU. The initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of SiC-based power electronics by establishing a comprehensive and highly competitive European value chain, from powder and boule to engineered SiC substrates. This holistic approach will facilitate the development of innovative smart semiconductor devices, power modules, and power converters, significantly expanding the applications for SiC-based technologies.

Within the FastLane project, Heraeus Electronics will focus on creating advanced Ag sintering and AMB materials to enable the design of new, cost-effective SiC power modules. Specifically, Heraeus will develop novel Ag sintering materials for precious metal-free metallised Active Metal Brazed (AMB) substrates and aluminium heat sinks. By reducing the number of metallisation steps and layers, Heraeus aims to streamline the production process, minimise thermal interfaces, and decrease material complexity in the power module stack. These innovations will allow for the design of SiC power modules with higher power density, longer lifespan, and increased reliability.

The FastLane project is set to make a significant contribution to the European Green Deal by reducing the environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle, fostering a greener economy, and ensuring European sovereignty in power electronics. Additionally, leveraging the automotive economy of scale will offer cost benefits to end users, making these advanced technologies more accessible.