Title :
Commercial impact of silicon carbide
Author :
Singh, Ranbir ; Pecht, Michael
Author_Institution :
Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Gaithersburg, MD
Abstract :
Evolutionary improvements in silicon (Si) power devices through better device designs, processing techniques, and material quality have led to great advancements in power systems. However, many commercial power devices are now approaching the theoretical performance limits offered by the Si material in terms of the capability to block high voltage, provide low on-state voltage drop, and switch at a high frequency. This article presents the opportunities and challenges in realizing the full potential of SiC power devices.
Keywords :
power semiconductor devices; silicon compounds; SiC; power devices; silicon carbide commercial impact; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; Motor drives; Photonic band gap; Power MOSFET; Schottky diodes; Silicon carbide; State estimation; Temperature; Thermal conductivity; Thyristors;
Journal_Title :
Industrial Electronics Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MIE.2008.928617