Design Considerations for Silicon Carbide Power
White Paper Overview
Silicon carbide (SiC), a crystalline blend of silicon and carbon is a well-established technology with several benefits over silicon-based technologies for high-voltage, high-frequency-switching applications, e.g., Silicon superjunction (SJ) and insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). With the recent introduction of 650V SiC MOSFETS, electronic applications have rapidly expanded. However, engineers must consider the characteristics, benefits, and limitations of SiC material.
This whitepaper by Wolfspeed discusses several considerations for selecting SiCs, including temperature properties, effective switching frequencies, gate drives, ruggedness and derating, and dealing with EMI. By paying attention to these considerations and good design principles, engineers can utilize SiCs in a wide range of high-power applications.
