Wide-Bandgap Semis
September 2023
Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD
On July 3rd, China announced that it was impose restrictions on the export of gallium, germanium and a range of other compounds that used the materials. It is an escalation of the current trade war between China and the US, which has escalated over the past eight years. Recently, President Biden place a ban on the
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Date:
09/01/2023
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Figure 1: The power, switching frequency, and application use cases of different semiconductor materials (source onsemi)
Power conversion is an essential function in almost every design, from low-power Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to high-power solar inverters. Trends such as using renewable energy sources and the growth of electric vehicle adoption demand efficient and reliable energy conversion. This article highlights some of
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Date:
09/01/2023
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Figure 1: Simplified diagram of double pulse testing circuit
Silicon Carbide (SiC) has higher dielectric breakdown strength, energy bandgap, and thermal conductivity than silicon (Si), properties that power electronics designers can exploit to develop more efficient power converters with greater power density than designs based on Si IGBT devices. For these applications, mi
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Date:
09/01/2023
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Figure 1: Comparing silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), silicon superjunction (Si SJ), and insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)/gate turn-off (GTO) thyristor devices over power and frequency. (Source: Author)
As silicon power IC (Si) technology begins to run into limitations, engineers are seeking out alternatives to help them build smaller, lighter, and more efficient products. Wide bandgap (WBG) materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) silicon carbide (SiC) are both viable options, so it isn’t always clear which of
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Date:
09/01/2023
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Figure 1. Profitability + Sustainability Drive $6 Billion GaN Growth
GaN power semiconductors continue to bring significant advancements in power-reliant industries, substantially impacting the global economy. Markets such as consumer electronics, automotive, and data centers are experiencing massive transformations as GaN power transistors replace traditional silicon in power sy
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Date:
09/01/2023
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