Fully SiC based high efficiency boost converter

Wide band-gap semiconductors (WBG) have recently drawn a lot of interest as main switches for power conversion processes. Owing to their inherent properties, materials such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) offer some advantages over silicon in the 1200V voltage range representing a solution to the quest for increased power density, safer thermal operation, better efficiency and reduced system form factor. In this paper we show the main benefits of ST 1200V SiC MOSFETs (SCT30N120) as an “ideal” high voltage switch through the results found in a 5kW boost converter. The most relevant aspect of this work consists in exploiting the SiC MOSFET reverse mode capability through its extremely fast intrinsic body diode as well as with the synchronous rectification technique.