Cree Invests $1 Billion in Expanding SiC Semiconductor Fab Capacity, Develops MOSFET Portfolio
Wolfspeed doubles down on SiC with a $1 billion investment towards Wolfspeed Schottky diodes and MOSFETs.
Wolfspeed doubles down on SiC with a $1 billion investment towards Wolfspeed Schottky diodes and MOSFETs.
At the recent PCIM show, Wolfspeed announced its line of SiC bare dies and MOSFETs, and augmented its line of SiC Schottky diodes. The company also introduced its XM3 power module specifically designed for SiC.
Wolfspeed’s portfolio of SiC (silicon carbide) bare dies, discrete components, and modules were reportedly conceived with the requirements of electric vehicle, industrial, and renewable energy applications in mind. The company’s stated goal is to allow designers to achieve the highest power density in high power applications.
According to Cengiz Balkas, SVP and general manager of Wolfspeed, “Wolfspeed is at the forefront of innovation and leading the power industry’s transition from silicon to silicon carbide.”
SiC MOSFET Bare Dies
Wolfspeed claims that systems with smaller footprints are made possible with their CPM3 bare dies. The reduced length of interconnections between the dies results in minimized switching latency and electrical noise. All member devices feature a 1200 V blocking voltage and a maximum junction temperature of 175 ºC.
CPM3 bare dies. Image from Wolfspeed
CPM3-1200-0013A
The CPM3-1200-0013A achieves a noteworthy Rds(on) of 13 mΩ at 25°C. It is suited to applications in automotive drive-trains, motor drives, solid-state circuit breakers and resonant topologies.
Other specifications include:
- Current Rating: 149 A @25°C
- Gate charge total: 260 nC
- Reverse-Recovery Charge (Qrr): 1800 nC
- Reverse-Recover Time (Trr): 43 ns
CPM3-1200-0016A
The CPM3-1200-0016A features an impressive Rds(on) of 16 mΩ at 25°C. It can be applied in solar inverters, EV motor drives, high voltage DC/DC converters, switched mode power supplies, and load switch applications.
Other parameters include:
- Current Rating: 112 A @25°C
- Gate charge total: 227 nC
- Reverse-Recovery Charge (Qrr): 1200 nC
- Reverse-Recover Time (Trr): 48 ns
C3M MOSFETs
Wolfspeed has also introduced new packaged MOSFETs. They are packaged as follows:
The reader will notice that, in some cases, the company lists older devices along with the newer C3M SiC MOSFETs.
C6D Gen 6 Diodes
These SiC Schottky diodes offer forward voltage drops of 1.27V @ 25°C and 1.35 V @ 125°C. The C6D class of diodes is intended for applications in servers, telecom, medical devices, consumer electronics, and solar energy.
More information about the individual members of this family can be found below:
XM3 Power Module
The CAB450M12XM3, to be released next month, was designed specifically to maximize the benefits of SiC. With half the weight and volume of a standard 62 mm module, the XM3 power module maximizes power density while minimizing loop inductance and enabling simple power bussing. The XM3’s SiC optimized packaging enables 175°C continuous junction operation.
This device is intended for applications in:
- Motor and traction drives
- UPS
- EV chargers
XM3 high-density power module. Image from Wolfspeed
Around the Industry
Wolfspeed’s parent company, Cree has announced a one billion dollar commitment to SiC and GaAS (gallium arsenide). This is part of a tidal wave of change, as the power semiconductor industry as a whole switches on a wholesale basis to wide bandgap semiconductors.
Recent industry cavalcades, such as PCIM and APEC were inundated with announcements concerning this technology. These changes represent nothing less than a paradigm shift in the semiconductor industry.
