12-inch silicon carbide (SiC) substrates are core materials underpinning high-growth emerging markets such as AR glasses and advanced packaging. However, their preparation and processing technologies have become critical barriers to commercial deployment.
The cutting, grinding and polishing process is one of the core technical hurdles to overcome for mass production of 12-inch SiC substrates. This is because AR glasses and advanced packaging impose a stringent accuracy requirement of below 1 μm for the total thickness variation (TTV) across the substrate wafer.
XINKEHUI’s 12-inch SiC ingot and substrate thinning equipment has been the first to be adopted by leading industry players, with total deliveries exceeding 20 units. Its equipment not only effectively solves the processing challenge of achieving TTV < 1μm, but its integrated solution can also reduce 12-inch SiC processing costs by more than 30%.
- Two Solutions Address 12-inch SiC Thinning Bottlenecks
AR glasses and advanced packaging are key application scenarios for 12-inch SiC substrates. The manufacturing of optical waveguides and interposers relies heavily on lithography processes: the former uses lithography to precisely fabricate subwavelength gratings to regulate display efficiency and field of view, while the latter achieves high-density wiring and through-holes via lithography to ensure interconnection accuracy and density.
As a result, these products impose far stricter requirements on SiC substrates than power semiconductors, with TTV typically required to be below 1 μm — a technical benchmark that is difficult to reach with conventional thinning processes and equipment.
The thinning (grinding) process is the critical step to achieving TTV < 1μm. Generally, the core processing flow for 8–12 inch SiC substrates includes cutting, thinning (grinding) and polishing, among which laser lift-off (LLO) technology has become the mainstream trend, gradually replacing traditional multi-wire cutting.
The laser lift-off technology route usually requires two thinning stages: SiC ingot thinning (before laser lift-off) and SiC substrate thinning (after laser lift-off), as illustrated in the figure below.
However, both 12-inch SiC ingot thinning and substrate thinning face notable technical challenges across the industry. These obstacles directly constrain the large-scale volume ramp-up of 12-inch SiC technology, and to some extent hinder the industrialization of downstream key applications such as AR glasses and advanced packaging.
- Breakdown of 12-inch SiC Ingot Thinning Process
According to XINKEHUI, there are three primary technical challenges in 12-inch SiC ingot thinning:
First, the ultra-hard nature of SiC materials places extremely high demands on grinding tools and abrasives (wheels).
Second, 12-inch ingots exhibit relatively rough surfaces and uneven thickness after laser lift-off.
Third, it is highly difficult to control thickness uniformity and surface profile accuracy during thinning, while 12-inch substrate thinning requires in-wafer thickness deviation to be kept within the ultra-tight range of <1μm.
Conventional thinning equipment often suffers from limitations in spindle rigidity, chuck flatness and grinding wheel wear, which can easily cause surface profile deviation and disrupt subsequent processes. In addition, legacy thinning equipment also faces shortcomings in stress control, surface and edge quality assurance, adaptability for large-size processing, as well as high processing costs and low yield.
These technical challenges directly create adverse impacts on downstream SiC substrate manufacturers: they not only lead to slow capacity ramp-up, elevated production costs and volatile product yield, but also lengthen delivery cycles and raise customer qualification barriers, ultimately eroding SiC enterprises’ market competitiveness.
Furthermore, mainstream laser lift-off equipment on the market is currently divided into gripping and suction designs. The varying process compatibility between the two solutions tends to create inconvenience for downstream enterprises in equipment selection, process alignment and cost control.
To address these pain points, XINKEHUI has launched the WG-1260M 12-inch SiC ingot thinning system. It is equipped with a dual-mode automated handling system supporting both gripping and suction, which can be precisely adapted to the process requirements of all types of domestic laser lift-off equipment and effectively resolve 12-inch ingot handling difficulties.
Meanwhile, the system offers excellent compatibility with upstream and downstream processes, and can provide customized adaptation solutions for laser lift-off equipment from different upstream vendors. This not only gives customers flexible options for equipment selection, but also effectively lowers their overall equipment investment costs.
In addition, the system reduces thinning cycle time and grinding wheel wear, helping SiC manufacturers boost production efficiency and profitability.
- Breakdown of 12-inch SiC Substrate Thinning Process
On the other hand, compared with ingot thinning, 12-inch SiC substrate thinning imposes more demanding standards on processing technology, finished surface roughness and other metrics.
XINKEHUI notes that traditional thinning equipment is currently solving the fundamental challenge of “making processing possible”, and will next advance to meet the requirement of “premium processing quality”. This is because large-size SiC substrate processing is often plagued by issues such as accuracy deviation, high risk of edge chipping and wafer breakage, vibration and thermal deformation, which do not yet meet the requirements of large-scale mass production.
To tackle these challenges, XINKEHUI has introduced the WG-1261M 12-inch SiC substrate thinning system. The equipment delivers outstanding high-precision performance, stably achieving in-wafer total thickness variation (TTV) < 1μm and wafer-to-wafer (WTW) thickness variation < ±1μm. When paired with high-mesh precision grinding wheels, it can control the surface roughness (Ra) of finely ground SiC substrates within 3 nm, significantly cutting customers’ subsequent polishing costs.
According to the company’s representative, this system has been officially deployed at multiple leading SiC enterprises, with all core technical indicators precisely matching the stringent requirements of customers’ actual production processes and R&D testing, and stably meeting expected standards. “With the system’s high reliability, high precision and comprehensive technical service support, customers have spoken highly of our equipment performance, delivery efficiency and overall service system, fully recognizing our technical strength and service capabilities.”
Notably, to enable high processing accuracy for 12-inch SiC substrates, XINKEHUI has also developed dedicated high-power, high-rigidity, high-precision thinning spindles and chuck shafts for 12-inch SiC to ensure processing stability.
Air spindles and air-floating chucks are the core shaft systems of 12-inch SiC substrate thinning equipment. As the company’s representative explained, “Air spindles enable high-torque, low-vibration processing, while air-floating chucks ensure uniform wafer loading with minimal stress. The two work in synergy to deliver processing precision.”
Meanwhile, to guarantee the surface quality of 12-inch SiC substrates after precision grinding, XINKEHUI has also upgraded and optimized the processing cooling system.
- Over 60% Market Share, Leading Domestic Position; Multi-dimensional Cost Reduction Drives 12-inch SiC Scale-up
XINKEHUI is one of China’s leading thinning equipment enterprises, with a comprehensive product portfolio in the SiC thinning equipment segment.
Since launching China’s first domestically built thinning machine in 2012, the company has been deeply rooted in the precision processing sector. In 2020, it officially initiated R&D and application of 6-inch SiC substrate thinning equipment by undertaking a national project. In 2023, it worked closely with customers to complete 8-inch production line deployment, and in 2025, it achieved mass shipment of 12-inch SiC thinning machines.
After five years of development, XINKEHUI’s SiC thinning equipment leads the industry in shipment volume. According to industry statistics, XINKEHUI ranks first among domestic equipment suppliers in terms of localized adoption for material-segment (ingot and substrate) equipment. By unit count, its market share in the domestic market for comparable equipment exceeds 60%.
The company has also made major breakthroughs in 8-inch SiC device manufacturing. Its thinning equipment has been shipped in volume and successfully adopted by multiple leading industry customers, with mature and stable processes.
Regarding the global development of 12-inch SiC technology, XINKEHUI believes the industry is currently in a critical transition phase from R&D breakthroughs to mass production. Domestic SiC substrates will lead the way into pilot line verification, with first-mover advantages in yield and process synergy, and technological breakthroughs have already been achieved. Meanwhile, localization of core equipment is accelerating.
The company forecasts that 12-inch SiC will enter low-volume mass production between 2026 and 2027, and achieve large-scale volume ramp-up from 2027 to 2030. Yield improvement and cost reduction will be the core development priorities, and the domestic industrial chain will continue to gain momentum.
To meet the demand for large-scale mass production of 12-inch SiC, XINKEHUI reduces the investment pressure of thinning equipment for new production lines across three core dimensions: equipment investment, production loss and operating costs, delivering significant cost advantages over alternative industry solutions.
First, core components of the equipment are domestically developed and self-supplied, with overall procurement costs lower than international counterparts. It also supports compatible production for 6 to 12 inch wafers, reducing redundant investment during SiC production line upgrades.
Second, on the production side, pairing SiC thinning equipment with laser lift-off systems can reduce 12-inch SiC material loss by more than 30% through process synergy. In addition, optimized matching between grinding wheels and equipment process parameters can further lower consumable loss and processing costs.
Third, on the operation side, the fully automated, unmanned design greatly reduces labor input, improves production line efficiency, and cuts production management and labor costs. The equipment’s high reliability also reduces maintenance costs and downtime losses. Overall, it helps new production lines achieve full-lifecycle cost optimization and effectively eases the investment pressure on enterprises during capacity expansion.
XINKEHUI also provides customized integrated process solutions to accelerate 12-inch SiC yield ramp-up. Combined with fast localized service and technical support, it ensures efficient and stable production line operation for customers throughout the entire process, enabling a seamless transition from R&D pilot trials to large-scale mass production.
The core technologies and precision specifications of XINKEHUI’s 12-inch SiC thinning equipment have reached an internationally leading level, with core accuracy on par with top global manufacturers. Meanwhile, it has built differentiated advantages in process compatibility, cost control and localized services, marking a major step forward for domestic equipment in the large-size SiC processing field. Going forward, its equipment will provide strong support for the mass production of 12-inch SiC substrates, help drive continued declines in SiC material costs, promote wider adoption in emerging fields such as AR glasses, and unlock broader growth opportunities for the SiC industry.
Post time: Nov-11-2026