Silicon Carbide as a Platform for Power Electronics
Abstract
For high-voltage, high-current devices that can be operated at elevated temperatures, silicon carbide (SiC) has been the material of choice. Efforts to produce single-crystal SiC began 30 years ago, but intrinsic problems in growing high-quality single-crystal boules free of micropipe defects-micrometer-scale pinholes created by dislocation-have only recently been overcome. A series of developments in crystal growth have made large-area, high-quality SiC substrates readily available for applications such as high-frequency transmitters and solid-state white lighting. Additional reductions in defects in the active region of devices have been achieved through epitaxial approaches, in which single-crystal layers are grown on the substrate. SiC is now poised as the linchpin to "green energy" that will replace less energy-efficient switches now based on silicon technology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 12, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA513479
Entities
People
- C. R. Eddy Jr.
- D. Kurt Gaskill
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory