DocumentCode :
1328706
Title :
Smaller, faster, tougher
Author :
Ozpineci, Burak ; Tolbert, Leon
Volume :
48
Issue :
10
fYear :
2011
fDate :
10/1/2011 12:00:00 AM
Firstpage :
45
Lastpage :
66
Abstract :
Silicon has long been the semiconductor of choice for such power electronics. But soon this ubiquitous substance will have to share the spotlight. Devices made from silicon carbide (SiC)-a faster, tougher, and more efficient alternative to straight silicon-are beginning to take off. Simple SiC diodes have already started to supplant silicon devices in some applica tions. And over the last few years, they´ve been joined by the first commercially available SiC transistors, enabling anew range of SiC-based power electronics. What´s more, SiC wafer manufacturers have steadily reduced the defects in the material while increasing the wafer size, thus driving down the prices of SiC devices. Last year, according to estimates made by wafer maker Cree, the global market for silicon car bide devices topped US $100 million for the first time.
Keywords :
power electronics; semiconductor diodes; silicon compounds; transistors; wide band gap semiconductors; Cree; SiC; diodes; power electronics; transistors; wafer manufacturers; Electricity; Schottky diodes; Silicon carbide; Technological innovation; Transistors;
fLanguage :
English
Journal_Title :
Spectrum, IEEE
Publisher :
ieee
ISSN :
0018-9235
Type :
jour
DOI :
10.1109/MSPEC.2011.6027247
Filename :
6027247
Link To Document :
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