Next level Silicon, SiC and GaN – a balanced view on future power semiconductor switches English Free Members only

  • Category Technical paper
  • Edition SIA
  • Date 04/14/2015
  • Author Frank WOLTER, Roland RUPP, Oliver HÄBERLEN - Infineon
  • Language English
  • Type PDF file (517.03 Ko)
    (Downloadable immediately on receipt of online payment)
  • Code R-2015-05-13
  • Fee Free

Power semiconductor switches for automotive applications range from 400 to 1200V. While this voltage range nowadays is governed by Si-based IGBT and freewheeling diodes, wide bandgap switches on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) due to superior electrical parameters are considered as candidates to take this place in the future. The pressure arising from these new materials, which offer new system optimizations based on new trade-off options, lead to recent progress in the Si world. In this paper, a new generation of automotive IGBTs is introduced and fields of improvement for the adaption of current topologies to make best use of the IGBT properties are proposed. This new generation will bridge the time until continuous and thorough work will have exploited the full performance, quality and price targets for the wide bandgap solutions.