Purdue-GeChi Silicon Carbide MOU Opens an 18-Month Supplier Window

The July 29 Taiwan delegation visit generated the headlines, but the substantive event happened May 27, when Purdue Research Foundation and GeChi Compound Semiconductor signed a formal five-year MOU targeting scale-up of silicon carbide substrates to 8- and 12-inch wafers.

SEMI and industry qualification benchmarks for compound semiconductor supply chains typically run 18 to 36 months. If GeChi or a Taiwanese partner announces an Indiana site in 2027, precision machining, specialty gas, and chemicals suppliers who have not started SPC documentation, cleanliness certification, or ISO 9001 gap analysis will be roughly 18 months behind on day one.