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‘AspenCore Guide to Silicon Carbide’: New Book Explores SiC in Smart Energy Era

In the newest AspenCore guide, tech and market experts guide charger and DC/DC applications as well as inverters, will exceed
engineers and executives through the process of integrating SiC US$2 billion by 2026.
power devices into systems and applications. In his foreword to The industry is betting that automotive platforms will serve as a
the book, IEEE fellow Victor Veliadis, executive director and CTO springboard for SiC’s expansion into more power electronics, enabling
at PowerAmerica, calls it “a valuable reference for those engaged technological maturation that will spawn higher device yields and
directly in deploying SiC in the field and a comprehensive introduc- more affordable devices. Our analysis looks at key players in the SiC
tion for those making the transition from silicon.” supply chain and examines the issues around SiC wafer supply and
Veliadis writes that the book “covers basic material properties, capacity.
design, and fabrication of SiC devices as well as practical considerations For smart-energy applications, SiC delivers 10× the dielectric
for system insertion in high-volume applications in which SiC is dis- strength of silicon, thereby enabling devices that operate at higher
placing the dominant Si technology. The book also provides a detailed voltage while meeting operational requirements for charging
market analysis, with insights into SiC power device market dynamics infrastructure and smart grids. SiC’s higher switching frequency lets
and emerging trends. It is therefore a compelling read for business designers reduce the physical size of magnets, filters, and transform-
professionals and practicing engineers alike.” ers and allow for significant improvements in motor efficiency.
SiC devices are being deployed in high-voltage power converters In both automotive and industrial settings, energy solutions based
with rigorous size, weight, and efficiency requirements. On-state on SiC materials are increasing. SiC wafer production remains a far
resistance and switching losses are significantly reduced with SiC, and more complicated process than that for silicon wafers. With demand
the material has nearly 3× the thermal conductivity of silicon, allowing for SiC devices growing, manufacturers must find wafer suppliers.
components to dissipate heat more quickly. That’s significant as Our book includes contributions from executives at key semiconduc-
Si-based devices shrink in size. tor companies involved in SiC production, including their perspectives
The bandgap energy of silicon carbide is greater than that of silicon on SiC technology’s future. The discussion includes likely market
(3.2 eV, or about 3× higher than silicon’s
1.1 eV). Higher breakdown voltages and
efficiency, along with better thermal stability
at high temperatures, are possible because
more energy is required to excite a valence
electron in the semiconductor’s conductive
band. Smaller circuits and less weight, as well
as lower total power usage, are all advantages
of adopting SiC technology in inverters. SiC
MOSFETs can operate at a significantly greater
switching frequency, allowing smaller inverter
components. SiC power semiconductors may
also function at greater voltages and currents
than ordinary silicon power semiconductors,
resulting in more power.
The guide covers WBG markets, technology,
and applications. Technology experts provide
insights into markets benefiting from the
superior performance of SiC power devices and
discuss the technical foundation underpin-
ning SiC-based design, fabrication, and circuit
implementation. Subsequent chapters cover
major SiC device applications, including elec-
tric vehicles, renewable energy, motor control,
aerospace, and defense.
“Each chapter is a practical overview of its
subject matter and a must-read for anyone
who wants to stay on the leading edge of The “AspenCore Guide to Silicon Carbide” is available in PDF and print editions from the
power SiC technology,” writes Veliadis, who EE Times Store (eetimes.com/product/silicon-carbide/).
is also a professor of electrical and computer
engineering at North Carolina University.
drivers for SiC growth beyond vehicle electrification, including photo-
AUTOMOTIVE, SMART ENERGY: SiC GROWTH DRIVERS voltaic inverters and energy storage, UPS systems, power supply units
Aggressive goals for cutting CO emissions will require a complete for data servers, and industrial motor drives.
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overhaul of global energy production. Wind and solar power systems, The supply chain problems that dogged the WBG sector have
frequently combined with energy storage, are among the fastest- eased. Nonetheless, industry executives stress the importance of OEM
growing industries, and SiC technology is at the heart of those partnerships with Tier 1 suppliers to ensure that device supplies are
solutions. adequate to meet growing demand.
Yole Développement’s Ezgi Dogmus and Ana Villamor write that Visit eetimes.com/product/silicon-carbide/ to obtain your PDF or print
hybrid and electric vehicles are growth drivers for SiC. The analysts copy of the “AspenCore Guide to Silicon Carbide.” ■
trace SiC’s rise in the automotive market to 2017, when Tesla adopted
the technology for its main inverter. Other EV makers soon followed Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio is editor-in-chief of Power Electronics News
suit. Yole projects that the automotive SiC market, including on-board and EEWeb. Nitin Dahad is editor-in-chief of Embedded.

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