ON-STaTe aNd blOCkING PerFOrmaNCe

P ower electronics fabricated on the Silicon Carbide (SiC) platform can operate at higher temperatures, higher frequencies, and can delive higher circuit efficiencies as compared to traditional Si-based technologies [1]. The SiC transistors are especially attractive at 1.2 kV-10 kV ratings, particularly for medium and high-frequency applications [2]. Though SiC-based Schottky diodes were readily available since 2001[3], the commercialization of SiC power transistors has lagged behind. [4-5]. GeneSiC is developing an innovative SiC power switch, a “Super” Junction Transistor (SJT) in 1.2 kV to 10 kV voltage ratings for high efficiency power conversion in Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS), Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), aerospace, defense, down-hole oil drilling, geothermal, Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and inverter applications. The Gate-oxide free, normally-off, current driven, quasi-majority device, SJT is a “Super-High” current gain SiC-based BJT that features a square reverse biased safe operating area (RBSOA), high temperature (> 300 °C) operation capability, low VDS(on) and faster switching capability (10’s of MHz) than any other competitor SiC switch. The MOS interface reliability-related issues and high channel resistance of SiC MOSFETs have limited their temperature capability to 150 °C where as the Gate-oxide and channel free SiC SJTs deliver high temperature performance (> 300 °C). Unlike SiC SJT, SiC MOSFET requires a customized gate driver with +20 V VGS capability due to their transconductance resulting from poor MOS channel mobility . characteristics. On the other hand, the commercially available normallyoff SiC JFET displays a very high positive temperature coefficient of VDS(on) and lower temperature capability as compared to the SiC SJT. GeneSiC’s 1200 V/220 mΩ SiC SJTs are packaged in standard TO-220 and high temperature TO-257 packages (Fig. 1.) The following three bestin-class Si IGBT copacks with internally integrated anti-parallel Si FREDs were chosen for comparing their electrical performance with that of 1200 V/220 mΩ SiC SJT: • NPT1: 125 °C/1200 V rated Si Non-PunchGeneSiC’s SiC-based 1200 V/220 mΩ Super Junction Transistors (SJTs) feature high temperature (> 300 °C) operation capability, ultrafast switching transitions (< 15 ns), extremely low losses, and a large shortcircuit withstand time of 22 μs. Integrating SiC SJTs with GeneSiC’s freewheeling SiC Schottky rectifiers provides a 64% power loss reduction over best-in-class silicon counterparts. SiC “Super” Junction Transistors Offer Breakthrough High Temp Performance designfeature