Powering Progress: Solving Complex Challenges with Innovation, AI and Purpose

At the heart of every breakthrough lies a simple, yet powerful question: What if we could do it better? 

For Matt, his team, and the Intelligent Systems and Technology team at Wolfspeed, this question is more than theoretical – it's a daily driving force. From identifying microscopic defects in silicon carbide wafers, to building AI models that enable higher quality at scale, their work embodies the spirit of creative problem-solving and purposeful innovation. 

Innovation to Improve Quality 

Silicon carbide is a critical material powering the electric future – from electric vehicles to renewable energy infrastructure. But it’s not without challenges. One of the most pressing? Microscopic/tiny defects that can compromise the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.  

To address this, Matt’s team joined forces with the IST hardware team to develop a proprietary, high-resolution defect detection system that scans each wafer to identify and characterize critical SiC defects with incredible precision, outperforming industry standard (“off the shelf”) solutions. Micron scale resolution, gigabytes of data per scan, and their system through wafer throughput transforms what was once a time-consuming process into a streamlined production asset.  

This innovation doesn’t just catch defects in real time – it delivers quality and reliability that customers can trust, especially in mission-critical automotive applications.  

Pushing the Boundaries 

The team didn’t stop there. Recognizing that other defects can emerge after epitaxial growth – a phase that comes after crystal formation – they built an even more advanced system that uses novel combinations of inspection techniques and AI to spot issues invisible to the human eye and standard microscopy techniques! 

With this new system, what used to require extensive hours of testing can now be accomplished in just minutes – without sacrificing accuracy. And more importantly, it enables long-term reliability studies by linking observed defects with actual field performance, setting a new benchmark in semiconductor quality assurance.  

AI that’s Grounded in Real Intelligence 

What makes these tools truly powerful is the intelligence behind them. Matt and the team don’t just build algorithms; they embed deep domain knowledge into their models. These systems are trained on years of learning, experimentation and cross-functional collaboration across crystal growth, materials science, and device reliability. This is more than AI. It’s what Matt calls “real intelligence” - a fusion of human insight and machine learning that ensures consistent, high-quality outcomes over time.  

Why It Matters 

Behind all this technology is a greater purpose: building a sustainable future. As Matt put it, “Climate change and sustainability are very important to me. Leveraging physics and machine learning to support cleaner energy is why I came here.” 

By pushing the boundaries of AI-driven metrology, Matt and the team are collaborating to help Wolfspeed lead the industry in quality, scale and innovation – paving the way for more reliable EVs, more efficient power systems, and a more sustainable world.