Performance evaluation of a Schottky SiC power diode in a boost PFC application

The performance of a 600 V, 4 A silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diode (Infineon SDP04S60) is experimentally evaluated. A 300 W boost power factor corrector (PFC) with average current mode control is considered as a key application. Measurements of overall efficiency, switch and diode losses, and conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) are performed both with the SiC diode and with two ultra-fast, soft-recovery, silicon power diodes, namely the RURD460 and the presented STTH5R06D. The paper compares the results to quantify the impact of the recovery current reduction provided by SiC diode on these key aspects of the converter behavior. Based on the experimental results, the paper shows that the use of SiC diodes in PFC designs may only be justified in high switching frequency applications.