A Comparison of SiC Power Switches for High-Rel Defense Applications (preprint)

Abstract

SiC VJFETs are an ideal device for a number of power electronics applications, including, but not limited to, high temperature motor drives, switch modules, and DC-DC or DC-AC inverters/converters. These applications are relevant to a number of military applications, such as shipboard power systems, more electric vehicles (including hybrid vehicles), and power conditioning systems in hostile and/or high temperature environments. The SiC VJFETs combine the switching speed of Si MOSFETs with the voltage and current handling properties of IGBTs and the thermal properties of SiC material. Since the VJFET is a unipolar device, it can easily be paralleled over the entire operating temperature range of the device. The SiC VJFET has a lower specific on resistance than the best Si IBGT and lacks the gate oxide problems of the SiC MOSFET. Because of the thermal properties of SiC and the lack of a gate oxide, they are capable of higher temperature operation than either device. The vertical channel structures provide for excellent packing density on the wafer and low per-unit production costs.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2007
Accession Number
ADA470628

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey B. Casady
  • Michael Mazzola

Organizations

  • Mississippi State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Compound Semiconductors
  • Electronics
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Engineering
  • Field Effect Transistors
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles
  • Materials
  • Power Electronics
  • Power Supplies
  • Resistance
  • Semiconductors
  • Silicon Carbide
  • Switched Mode Power Supplies
  • Switches

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Materials science

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics