Qorvo sic offers an innovative range of silicon carbide (SiC) power modules rated for 1200V applications that significantly enhance power density, efficiency and cost-effectiveness within industrial power systems.
Based on a SiC JFET cascode circuit configuration, these MOSFETs offer lower conduction losses and easier gate drive compared to planar MOSFETs.
High Efficiency
SiC devices far outshone traditional silicon (Si) devices when it comes to power conversion efficiency. SiC has become the go-to semiconductor solution for electric vehicles, industrial power applications, circuit protection applications and renewable technologies due to its elevated voltage ratings and superior conversion efficiency levels.
SiC device slew rate limits VDS overshoot and ringing by using snubbers made up of capacitor Cs and resistor Rs (Figure 8). Figure 9 displays their effects on switching losses under hard switching conditions.
Qorvo’s 1200V Gen 4 SiC FET devices feature low on-resistance (RDS(on), reduced body diode VF to reduce normal third quadrant conduction losses and low gate charge to further minimize switching losses in fast switching applications. Together with low thermal resistance from junction to case, these features enable increased power density and efficiency.
SiC FET modules designed with standard gate drive are specially tailored to provide minimal thermo-mechanical stress at wire bond interfaces during power cycling and extend twice their power cycling lifespan compared to discretes for long system lifespan.
Low On-Resistance
Qorvo’s Gen 4 SiC FETs feature industry-leading on-resistance ratings, enabling designers to conserve energy by eliminating power losses through external heat sinks. This feature is especially beneficial in high-efficiency DC power converters operating at or above 1,200 V threshold.
Comparable to Si MOSFETs, the smaller die size of Qorvo SiC JFETs allows them to achieve significantly reduced on-resistance ratings per device area resulting in significantly less switching loss and parasitic effects, leading to lower system thermal resistance.
SiC FETs feature an advantageous cascode structure. When current flows through them, their forward body diodes automatically turn on when current passes through them, eliminating the need for an extra gate drive circuit and saving costs while improving usability; enabling designers to create comprehensive solutions in smaller packages.
Snubbers with low Rg are particularly effective at offsetting the high turn-on losses associated with SiC FETs, making ZVS soft-switching more efficient as energy from drain-to-source capacitor energy is recycled for use again in ZVS soft switching cycles. Figure 7 demonstrates this effectiveness as using snubbers with lower Rg offset decreases switching losses as compared to using setup without Rgoff snubbers; making SiC E1B modules highly cost effective when applied to soft switching applications using ZVS soft switching applications.
Low EMI
Qorvo SiC’s UJ400 series of normal-on SiC JFET transistors features ultra-low on resistance of 4mO or less and high gate charge (QG), providing for reduced conduction and switching losses, leading to improved power density. This characteristic makes the UJ400 an effective circuit-breaker semiconductor that can replace MOSFETs and IGBTs where higher voltage, faster operating frequencies, lower power losses are needed.
UHB25SC12E1BC3N (1200V, 25A, 35mO full-bridge) and UHB100SC12E1BC3N (1200V, 100A, 9.3mO half-bridge) modules utilize stacked cascode structure to achieve greater performance than traditional Si MOSFET modules with high Rg values. Their design facilitates power loss reduction via synchronous rectifification when conducting SiC MOSFET’s PN diodes; as well as eliminating need for snubber resistors which contributes significantly to turn-off losses when standard configuration.
The stackable structure also helps the modules achieve twice the power cycling of standard SiC MOSFET modules thanks to silver sintered die attach, which offers stronger and more reliable connections than soldering and reduces thermal-mechanical stress at wire bond interface during repeated power cycling, leading to enhanced reliability and longer power cycling life compared to traditional devices – leading to greater power densities with smaller end equipment and increased power efficiency.
Low Thermal Resistance
Qorvo’s silicon carbide (SiC) field-effect transistors (FETs) can withstand high inrush currents during circuit faults while remaining in their “normally-on” state – eliminating the need for elaborate cooling systems and supporting space-limited dimensions. Their small form factor supports space limitations as they accelerate transition from electromechanical circuit breakers to semiconductor-based solid state circuit breakers (SSCBs).
Qorvo’s SiC FETs utilize a cascode circuit configuration to combine a JFET with a silicon MOSFET into one package, offering all of the advantages of wide bandgap switch technology with the simple gate drive of silicon MOSFETs for optimized power loss reduction and reduced system cost by decreasing total dissipation. This combination further minimizes power losses while decreasing total system dissipation costs.
SiC FETs feature lower junction temperatures compared to silicon MOSFETs, reducing power loss due to conduction and recombination and helping designers meet tight dv/dt specifications without compromising reliability – increasing switching frequency and overall system efficiency.
Qorvo SiC’s low Rdson allows designers to use shorter leads, reducing costs and board area. Furthermore, this enables smaller heat sinks that result in greater overall system efficiency and power density. SiC’s lower thermal resistance also improves reliability due to less degradation occurring due to instantaneous temperatures being higher even for automotive applications.
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