Are you SiC of Silicon?
October 31, 2019
This blog post was first published by United Silicon Carbide (UnitedSiC) which joined the Qorvo family in November 2021. UnitedSiC is a leading manufacturer of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and expands Qorvo's reach into the fast-growing markets for electric vehicles (EVs), industrial power, circuit protection, renewables and data center power.
Why SiC FETs are the right choice.
We all know silicon will be around for some time, but as power efficiency and performance levels become even more critical to the success of fast growing application areas (i.e., electric vehicles, battery charging, datacenters, etc.), new devices based on new technologies become legitimate options to replace silicon. And those new devices are SiC FETs.
In this 6 part series titled “Are you SiC of silicon?”, UnitedSiC VP of Engineering, Dr. Anup Bhalla, together with Power Systems Design (PSD), take the reader through the reasons why SiC FETs are the right choice in a wide number of applications, and how they fit into a landscape that still includes MOSFETs, Superjunction, IGBTs and GaN HEMT.Engineers will read about the most important Figures of Merit as they relate to power transistors and diodes, and what they should consider when making a design choice. It will cover the concept of a Supercascode topology and how it can be applied to power applications.
SiC FETs have advanced beyond the specialty applications area and are fast becoming mainstream power solutions for today’s HW power designers. If you’re considering using SiC in your next design but unsure about the product benefits, or just want to learn more about this fast growing SiC power solution, then this blog series is for you. Enjoy!
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 1
Do you need to learn about the basics behind Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Wide Bandgap (WBG) technologies? Then start here, with the first article in this series of six, which covers not only the basics, suitable for readers of any level, but also the details, aimed at electrical engineers working on high power applications. Read More.
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 2
Part 2 in this series of six explores the important role packaging plays in power transistor performance. Dr Bhalla shows readers how this is being applied in SiC technology and why it is so integral to exploiting the full potential of Wide Bandgap (WBG) technologies. Read More.
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 3
Developing a strong and reliable on-board charger (OBC) solution is crucial to the successful adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The faster we can charge our vehicles the sooner consumers will accept battery and electric drives as a viable alternative to petrol or diesel fueled engines. This is an ideal application for wide bandgap (WBG) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology, as it meets all of the requirements, as this third article in the series explains. Read More.
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 4
Moving on from battery charging, article four in the series of six explores the application of traction inverters for EVs. Readers will learn about the approach car manufacturers are taking to developing battery electric vehicles and what this means to the drivetrain. Read More.
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 5
In electronics, there’s low voltage, high voltage and really high voltage. Power semiconductor technologies like Silicon Carbide (SiC) are clearly focused at the higher end of this spectrum. Thanks to breakthroughs like its Supercascode architecture, UnitedSiC is a leader here both in devices and modules. This installment in the series of six articles hosted by Power Systems Design explains to an engineering audience where SiC MOSFETs, SiC IGBTs and their silicon counterparts fit into the power spectrum. Read More.
Are you SiC of Silicon? – Part 6
High volume, high quality and higher power density are all high priorities for the telecommunications industry. This is intensifying with the large-scale roll-out of 5G, as this installment explains. Readers will learn why Wide Bandgap (WBG) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) technologies are attracting more interest from power supply developers, by exploring the power topologies used by telecommunication companies and in data centres. Read More.
About the author:
Dr. Anup Bhalla is the VP of Engineering at UnitedSiC, overseeing all product development. He joined the team in 2012, having previously worked with Harris, Vishay Siliconix, AOS and co-founding Alpha and Omega Semiconductor. His name appears on over 100 patents and he gained his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Have another topic that you would like Qorvo experts to cover? Email your suggestions to the Qorvo Blog team and it could be featured in an upcoming post. Please include your contact information in the body of the email.