Honorary Advisor – ADVAIT Center of Excellence
Global Semiconductor Manufacturing Leader | SiC Technology Expert | Advanced Materials & Operations Executive
Dr. Jim Wu is a globally experienced semiconductor manufacturing executive and materials scientist with more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning silicon carbide (SiC), compound semiconductors, advanced epitaxy, LED technologies, materials characterization, and high-volume semiconductor manufacturing across North America and Asia.
He has successfully led organizations through critical transitions from research and development to high-volume manufacturing, consistently delivering improvements in production capacity, process uniformity, product quality, operational efficiency, and business growth. His expertise combines deep technical knowledge with disciplined operational execution, enabling organizations to commercialize advanced semiconductor technologies and create sustainable shareholder value.
Current Leadership Focus
Most recently, Dr. Wu served as Engineering and R&D Director for SiC Wafers and Epitaxy at YASC, where he advanced HTCVD technology for high-volume SiC wafer manufacturing. He established comprehensive metrology capabilities, introduced new epitaxial precursors, optimized buffer layer technologies, and achieved state-of-the-art epitaxial uniformity, repeatability, and defect performance. These developments enabled qualification as an epitaxial supplier for a leading Japanese silicon carbide device manufacturer.
Previously, as Engineering and Operations Manager for SiC Wafers and Epitaxy at SK Siltron CSS, he led engineers, technicians, and operators in transforming the organization from an R&D-focused enterprise into a high-volume manufacturing operation. Under his leadership, production volumes increased tenfold, epitaxial revenue grew twentyfold, and total revenue quadrupled. SK Siltron CSS became a major substrate supplier to STMicroelectronics and a key epitaxial supplier to X-FAB.
Industry Experience
Dr. Wu has held senior engineering, manufacturing, and operations leadership positions across several major semiconductor companies, including:
- YASC (Engineering & R&D Director – SiC Wafers and Epitaxy)
- SK Siltron CSS
- Intel Corporation
- Sensitron Semiconductor
- Lattice Power
- Cree
At Intel Corporation, he led teams responsible for technology transfer, production ramp-up, and sustaining manufacturing operations for advanced 22 nm, 14 nm, and 10 nm technology nodes. At Sensitron Semiconductor, he strengthened quality systems and successfully passed U.S. Department of Defense audits, enabling certification to stringent MIL-SPEC requirements for aviation and space applications. At Lattice Power and Cree, he pioneered GaN-on-Si and GaN/InGaN-on-SiC LED technologies, supporting fab startups, new product introductions, yield enhancement, and high-volume production.
Core Expertise
- Silicon Carbide (SiC) Materials and Devices
- Epitaxial Growth and Advanced Materials Characterization
- Compound Semiconductors and Power Electronics
- Semiconductor Manufacturing and Process Integration
- High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM) Scale-up
- Technology Transfer and Yield Improvement
- Quality Systems and Reliability Engineering
- Fab Startup, Operations, and Supply Chain Management
- LED Technologies and Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
- Team Building and Operational Excellence
Industry Relationships
Throughout his career, Dr. Wu has collaborated closely with leading semiconductor manufacturers and technology companies, including:
STMicroelectronics, X-FAB, Intel, SK Siltron, Cree, Sensitron Semiconductor, Lattice Power, and leading Japanese SiC device manufacturers.
His work bridges advanced materials science, process innovation, and manufacturing excellence, enabling scalable production, improved device performance, and accelerated commercialization of next-generation semiconductor technologies.
Education
- Ph.D., Materials Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA (1992)
- B.E., Materials Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
Academic & Advisory Engagement
As Honorary Advisor at the ADVAIT Center of Excellence, Dr. Wu contributes his expertise in silicon carbide technologies, advanced semiconductor manufacturing, materials engineering, and workforce development. He supports industry-academia collaboration, innovation ecosystems, and the preparation of future-ready talent to advance the global semiconductor industry.