Page 25 - EE Times Europe Magazine | June2020

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WIDE-BANDGAP DEVICES
Reliable and Efficient Control of SiC MOSFETs

By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio

emand continues to grow rapidly for
silicon carbide (SiC)-based devices
to maximize efficiency and reduce
Dsize and weight, enabling engineers
to create innovative power solutions. Appli-
cations that leverage SiC technology range
from electric vehicles (EVs) and charging
stations to smart power grids and industrial
and aeronautical power systems.
New digital programmable gate driver
solutions help accelerate the process from
design to production. The higher electric
field strength of SiC substrates permits Figure 1: What’s driving the adoption of SiC in power electronics?
the use of thinner base structures. Sili- (Image: Microchip Technology)
con carbide is also excellent in its voltage
resistance but not very good in standup
short-circuit conditions. The new gate driv- trial, automotive, medical, aerospace and gain, and reduce system footprint. Available
ers have been designed to address problems defense, traction or train, and more.” topologies include dual diode, full bridge,
such as system noise, short-circuits, over- SiC power technology allows EV and phase leg, dual common cathode, and three-
voltage, and overheating. other high-power switching applications to phase bridge, and multiple current and
achieve maximum efficiency, said Esparza. package options are offered.
SiC TECHNOLOGY “Silicon carbide serves the needs of appli- The addition of SiC SBD modules in
SiC technology is now widely recognized cations requiring system voltages of 600 V designs maximizes switching efficiency,
as a reliable alternative to silicon. Many and above. We’re seeing a lot of opportunity reduces thermal gain, and allows for a
manufacturers of power modules and power for our 700-V and 1,200-V devices within smaller system footprint. High device perfor-
inverters have laid the foundations for SiC electric-vehicle applications that have either mance enables system designers to minimize
use in their product roadmaps. a 400-V or an 800-V bus, [as well as in] the need for snubber circuits by leveraging
“The [market] growth in silicon carbide industrial medical equipment that is in the the stability of the diode body without long-
power semiconductor devices has doubled higher-voltage range.” term degradation (Figure 1).
over the last three years,” said Orlando System designers are adopting SiC solu- Microchip offers several reference designs
Esparza, strategic marketing manager at tions to overcome the efficiency limitations to accelerate design development. The
Microchip Technology. “There’s a lot of of traditional, silicon-based devices, he MSCSICSP3/REF2 reference design provides
optimism in the market that it will reach up added. “Silicon carbide allows their systems an example of a highly isolated SiC
to US$10 billion within the next seven to 10 to be smaller and lighter-weight, and the MOSFET dual-gate driver for the SiC SP3
years. We are seeing rapid adoption [for SiC], overall system cost is actually lower.” phase leg modules (Figure 2). It can be
and we are working on a large number of Microchip’s new power modules include configured by switches to drive in a half-
opportunities globally. commercially qualified Schottky barrier bridge configuration with only one side on at
“These opportunities span across many diodes (SBDs) at 700, 1,200, and 1,700 V to any time and with dead-time protection. The
different types of applications within indus- maximize switching efficiency, reduce heat low-inductance SP6LI driver reference design

Figure 4: MSCSICPFC/REF5 is a three-
Figure 2: MSCSICSP3/REF2 reference Figure 3: Low-inductance SP6LI driver phase Vienna PFC reference design.
design (Image: Microchip Technology) reference design (Image: Microchip Technology) (Image: Microchip Technology)

www.eetimes.eu | JUNE 2020