Advanced SiC power devices to accelerate automotive electrification
ST says it is bringing to the silicon carbide market an advanced 6-inch wafer capability and process that will amount to a superior SiC offering to carmakers and automotive suppliers. Its AEC-Q101 qualification program is scheduled to complete in early 2017. The company is presenting a portfolio of new-generation rectifiers and MOSFETs for high-voltage power modules and discrete solutions addressing all the vehicle’s main electrical blocks. These include the traction inverter, on-board battery charger, and auxiliary DC-DC converter.
“Major carmakers and automotive Tier-1s are now committing to silicon-carbide technology for future product development to leverage its higher aggregate efficiency compared to standard silicon in a wide range of operating scenarios,” said Mario Aleo, Group Vice President and General Manager, Power Transistor Division, STMicroelectronics. ST offered its first 1200V SiC MOSFET in 2014, achieving industry-leading 200°C rating for more efficient and simplified designs.
ST is currently fabricating SiC MOSFETs and diodes on 4-inch (100 mm) wafers. In order to drive down the manufacturing costs, improve the quality, and deliver the large volumes demanded by the auto industry, ST is scaling up its production of SiC MOSFETs and diodes to 6-inch (150 mm) wafers, and is on schedule to complete both conversions by the end of 2016. ST has already qualified its 650V SiC diodes to AEC-Q101, and will complete qualification of the latest 650V SiC MOSFETs and 1200V SiC diodes in early 2017. The qualification of the new-generation 1200V SiC MOSFETs will be completed by the end of 2017.
The STPSC20065WY 650V SiC diode is in full production now in DO-247. The range also includes lower current ratings and smaller form-factor TO-220 package options. The STPSC10H12D 1200V SiC diode is sampling now to lead customers in the TO-220AC package and goes to production this month, with volume production of the automotive-grade version planned for Q4 2016. Multiple current ratings from 6A to 20A and packaging options will also be available.
The SCTW100N65G2AG 650V SiC MOSFET is sampling now to lead customers in the HiP247 package. It will ramp up in volumes in H1 2017. To enable more compact designs, a 650V SiC MOSFET in the surface-mount H2PAK will also be qualified to AEC-Q101 in H1 2017.
ST; www.st.com/auto-sic-diodes
next page; additional notes on ST’s SiC
Using ST’s 650V SCTW100N65G2AG SiC MOSFET in the EV/HEV main inverter (typical frequencies up to 20 kHz) increases the efficiency compared with an equivalent IGBT solution by up to 3%. This improvement translates into longer battery life and autonomy, and a smaller and lighter power unit with lower cooling requirements. The SiC MOSFET reduces power losses in the inverter (up to 80% lower at light/medium load), enabling designers to use higher switching frequencies for more compact designs. A SiC-based solution offers highly robust intrinsic-body diodes, eliminating the need for the freewheeling diodes necessary with IGBTs, further saving cost, size, and weight.
In other EV/HEV applications such as the OBC (On-Board Charger) and DC-DC Converter, the inherently faster switching performance of SiC, compared with standard silicon devices, allows much higher switching frequencies, thus reducing the size of passive components. Furthermore, the SiC MOSFET increases design flexibility as it can be used in diverse topologies.
ST’s SiC MOSFETs, housed in a proprietary high-thermal-efficiency HiP247 package, also feature a junction-temperature rating of 200°C and show a very small variation of the on-state resistance even at high temperatures. This leads to higher system efficiency, which reduces cooling requirements and PCB form factors simplifying thermal management. The new 650V and 1200V SiC diodes from ST claim the best-in-class forward voltage drop (VF) among all devices in the market today.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
