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SEMICONDUCTORS Semiconductors
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Figure 1: Comparison between some relevant properties of SiC and Si (Source: IEEE)
(WBG) materials (such as SiC) enables higher switching speeds and higher breakdown voltages,
allowing for smaller, faster, more reliable, and more efficient power devices. In Figure 1, some of
SiC Technology: Challenges the main electrical characteristics of silicon and SiC are compared.
Regarding the manufacturing process, one of the most difficult challenges so far has been the
and Future Perspectives transition from 100-mm (4-inch) wafers to 150-mm (6-inch) wafers. While an increase in the size
of the wafer offers the advantage of drastically reducing the unit cost of the components, on the
other hand, it imposes demanding challenges regarding the elimination of defects and increasing
By Stefano Lovati, technical writer for EEWeb the reliability of the delivered semiconductor.
Silicon carbide (SiC), a semiconductor material composed of silicon and carbon, is used to The challenges posed by the market mainly concern the demand for power solutions suitable to
manufacture power devices for high-voltage applications, such as electric vehicles (EVs), power meet the growing demand for vehicle electrification and battery-charging systems. The automotive
supplies, motor control circuits, and inverters. SiC offers several advantages over conventional industry is certainly one of the sectors in which the main efforts of SiC producers are being
silicon-based power devices, such as IGBTs and MOSFETs, which have long dominated the market concentrated. Building next-generation EVs will require a technology that meets the stringent
by virtue of their cost-effectiveness and simplicity of the manufacturing process. requirements of high efficiency and reliability, defect elimination, and cost reduction.
In power electronics applications, solid-state devices are required that can operate at high FABRICATION CHALLENGES
switching frequencies while offering low on-resistance, low switching losses, and excellent Although the properties of SiC have been known for some time, the production of the first SiC
thermal management. In the electronics field, designers face several tough challenges, with the power devices is relatively recent, starting in the early 2000s through the deployment of 100-mm
aim of maximizing efficiency, reducing size, increasing the reliability and durability of devices, wafers. A few years ago, most manufacturers completed the transition to 150-mm wafers, while
and reducing costs. Compared with traditional silicon-based technology, the use of wide-bandgap large-scale production of 200-mm (8-inch) wafers will be operational in the next few years.
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