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POWER ELECTRONICS
Inaugural PowerUP Virtual Expo
Convenes on June 16
By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio
here’s still time to register for AspenCore’s PowerUP Virtual (W/cm-K), electron mobility (cm /V-s), and electron drift velocity.
2
Expo, a three-day virtual conference and exhibition focusing Without getting into the semiconductor-physics details, suffice it to say
on power electronics. Slated for June 16–18, the PowerUP Expo that these improved parameters make WBG semiconductors suitable
T will operate like a live exhibition and conference, providing for high-voltage, high-switching–frequency applications while improv-
fairgrounds, an exhibition hall, and a conference area. Exhibitors will ing power density and heat dissipation.
present their products and solutions, and chat rooms will allow for Advantages of WBG semiconductor power switches include high
direct communication between visitors and exhibitors — all without the current density, faster switching, and lower drain-source on-
need for travel and at the fraction of the cost of a physical event. resistance (R DS(on) ). These device performance improvements lead to
The all-virtual conference, which will be available 24 hours a day significant system-level benefits from an end-customer perspective. In
with live presentations each day from 14:30 to 17:30 CEST (8:30 real-life applications, customers can achieve high-temperature opera-
a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT), is an opportunity to exchange ideas and get tion, along with overall system size and weight reductions.
product and technology updates on three key power electronics topics: Gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) WBG power semi-
motor control, wide-bandgap semiconductors, and smart and renew- conductors will emerge as a means to enhance power supply efficiency
able energy. The exhibition will feature three panels highlighting across industrial environments, while complementing the expansion of
the conference topics, with the participants available to answer your the renewable energy segment. Alternative energy sources require ade-
questions. Visitor registration is free; for information and to register, quate control and power processing to be safely connected to a smart
go to powerup-expo.com. grid or even to be directly connected to local loads. The energy flowing
needs to be correctly converted before it is delivered to users. The goal
THE POWER MARKET is to create control systems capable of flexibly responding to the energy
Power semiconductors have historically been based on silicon sub- requirements for real-time recharging and discharging.
strates. Silicon is an excellent general-purpose semiconductor but has Two of the most lucrative applications for SiC and GaN are electric
well-documented limitations when dealing with high voltages. As power vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles (EVs and HEVs). They operate
demands rise, the industry is shifting from silicon toward wide-bandgap at higher voltages and temperatures, are more rugged, have longer
(WBG) semiconductor materials, which can operate at higher switching lifetimes, and switch much faster than conventional semiconductor
frequencies while keeping losses at manageable levels. devices. SiC has been adopted in several applications, particularly
While silicon semiconductors will remain a mainstream solution e-mobility, to meet energy and cost challenges in the development of IMAGES: ASPENCORE
for many years, there are certain applications in which customers can high-efficiency and high-power devices. GaN is finding use in auto-
leverage WBG semiconductor characteristics, including improvements motive designs; a number of companies have qualified products for
in bandgap (eV), breakdown field (MV/cm), thermal conductivity low- and high-voltage EV/HEV applications.
JUNE 2020 | www.eetimes.eu