ABSTRACT
Significant advances in silicon carbide (SiC) power switch technology over the past decade are driving a technology revolution in the commercial power electronics industry. SiC is the ideal material for a power device. It has a substantially higher voltage breakdown strength compared to Si, allowing devices to be fabricated with voltage blocking layers up to an order of magnitude thinner and more heavily doped, ultimately resulting in a drastic increase in electrical conductivity and switching speed. SiC can theoretically operate as a semiconductor at temperatures up to 600°C (compared to 150°C–175°C for Si), has a thermal conductivity 3x higher than Si, and possesses outstanding mechanical properties [1]. If properly exploited, the extraordinary performance of these devices could result in electronic systems that are revolutionarily more efficient, smaller, and capable of being implemented in environments where conventional technology simply cannot operate.
