4H-SiC DMOSFETs for power conversion applications successes and ongoing challenges

Abstract

Power devices fabricated in 4H-SiC are poised to significantly impact the field of power electronics. There has been great interest in SiC as a material in which to fabricate power electronic devices for quite some time based on its very promising fundamental materials properties. However, it has been far more recently that the potential of SiC is being appreciated as a result of the recent advances in material quality, fabrication processes and device design. Based on the high critical breakdown electric field, high bandgap and high thermal conductivity of SiC, systems that are specifically designed to take advantage of these characteristics offer superior power density, lower cooling requirements, and prolonged survivability in adverse conditions when compared to systems fabricated with Si power devices.