The Ministry of Industry and Trade has terminated a 400 ₽ million contract with the Scientific Research Institute of Instruments (NIIP), a subsidiary of Rosatom. The agreement involved the development of technology for producing 150 mm neutron-transmutation-doped silicon wafers.
The cancellation follows the institute's failure to meet the first project milestone by the May 15, 2026, deadline. NIIP did not produce the required test batches of material or submit the necessary documentation. Consequently, the ministry imposed a penalty of 1.5 ₽ million, which remains unpaid.
The project, known as Vector-150, aimed to establish a pilot production facility with an annual capacity of at least 100,000 wafers. The original roadmap targeted the launch of full-scale serial production by 2027.
Neutron-transmutation-doped silicon is a critical component for manufacturing power semiconductors, such as IGBT transistors, thyristors, and fast-recovery diodes. These parts are essential for electric vehicles, rail transport, and charging infrastructure.
Currently, Russia lacks domestic production of this material, and international procurement is restricted due to the strategic nature of the technology. Experts suggest the project failure could delay domestic development until 2028 or later.
