table of contents

• What is SiC?
• Why is SiC attracting attention?
• Comparison of characteristics between Si and SiC
• Applications and benefits of SiC
• How to use Si and SiC
• Features of Infineon's automotive SiC
• Infineon's automotive SiC lineup

What is SiC?

Since SiCis already widely recognized, I would like to briefly touch on it here without explaining it from scratch.SiCis an abbreviation for Silicon Carbide, which is called silicon carbide in Japanese and is a compound composed of silicon (Si) and carbon (C).SiC is one of the wide bandgap semiconductors, and its bandgap is said to bethree times that of silicon (Si), which is the raw material for conventional semiconductors. In addition to SiC, GaN (gallium nitride), which is the next most commonly heard material,is also a type of wide bandgap semiconductor.

Now, I would like to touch on the advantages of a large bandgap and whySiCis attracting attention.

Why is SiC attracting attention?

Recently, the world has set the goal of carbon neutrality, and both countries and companies are working toward decarbonization. In the automobile industry, when will each car manufacturer stop selling new gasoline-powered cars, and when will all new cars sold be stopped?xEVsuch as switching to We are currently clarifying our future vision, taking into account specific timing.

*xEV=refers to hybrid vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and electric vehicles (EV)

In that case, it becomes very importantEVsThis is a power semiconductor that can handle the high voltage of batteries. TraditionalSieven in power semiconductorsxEVOf course, it is possible to drive inverters and motors, which are the backbone ofIn areas such as the high current required for driving, improving power conversion efficiency, and extending mileage,SiHowever, there are some areas where we cannot catch up.

What is attracting attention isSiCis.in the frontSiCis the band gapSicompared to3You mentioned that it is twice as large, but what are the advantages of having a large bandgap?Shall we?
The band gap is defined as ``the width of the region where no electrons can exist,'' but in the case of semiconductors, it is said to be ``the difference in energy from the top of the valence band to the bottom of the conduction band.''SiCThe main role of power semiconductors, to which these wafers are applied, is "power conversion," so it is extremely important to improve "conversion efficiency" when driving inverters and motors that power automobiles. Therefore, reducing conduction loss and switching loss is a key point in the development of power semiconductors.

In addition, in order to significantly shorten the quick charging time of electric vehicles, it is necessary to further increase the voltage resistance and current of power semiconductors.SiCBecause it has a high breakdown voltage, it is possible to increase the withstand voltage of the power semiconductor itself, which allows a large current to flow. Furthermore,SiCWide bandgap semiconductors includingSiThermal conductivity (thermal conductivity)Since the heat dissipation is high, it is easy to dissipate heat, which not only improves conversion efficiency but also makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the cooling function.EVsThe distance a car can travel on a single charge is greatly influenced by the weight of the car, so this also makes a big contribution.

Comparison of characteristics between Si and SiC

General comparisons include band gap, breakdown voltage, thermal conductivity, and operating temperature.SiandSiCThis is a graph comparing. As you can see, excellent characteristics can be seen in all items. In addition,Sicompared toSiCIt has the following features and benefits:

• thin drift layer
• low switching losses
• high switching frequency
• fast switching speed
• small gate charge
• small capacitance

Applications and benefits of SiC

As explained above,SiChas various advantages, but what kind of benefits do they provide in actual in-vehicle systems? There are actually many benefits, but I think there are three in particular.

①High efficiency
②Improvement of power density
③Reducing system costs

In particular, regarding points related to ① and ②,SiCBecause it has a high breakdown voltage, it is possible to increase the withstand voltage of the power semiconductor itself, making it possible toSiofMOSFETorIGBTIt was realized with800VWithstand pressure up to aroundSiCSo 1200V.You can raise it up to In fact, an on-board chargerof the applicationPFCusing the same number of switching devices in each section.Si650V.Pressure resistanceIGBTIf you useSiC1200 ofV.Pressure resistanceMOSFETThe average energy loss isSicompared toSiCSome results show that prices have been reduced by 50%.

In addition, regarding ③ system cost reduction,SiCteethSiHowever, when comparing the system costs for inverter applications, the following data has been found: especiallyEVsIt is said that the price of a car battery accounts for at least 35% of the cost of the car, so the key issue is how to reduce the system cost of battery cells.SiCBy adopting , power density increases and efficiency improves, making it possible to reduce total system costs. current situation,SiCIn terms of power semiconductors alone,SiAlthough it is more expensive when compared to other products, it is cost-effective when considered at the system level.SiCis.

These three major benefits ultimately reduce the cost of the vehicle's powertrain and the associated size and weight of the power semiconductors, leading to savings in battery capacity over the same driving range.

How to use Si and SiC

The distribution diagram below is a general xEVsThis shows which power semiconductors are most likely to be used in the applications envisaged. Conventionally, those with large outputIGBT, those that require high switching frequencySi MOSFETHowever, when large output and high switching frequency are required,SiCis increasingly being considered.

Infineon offers products ranging from low to high voltage withstand voltages.Si MOSFETIn addition to a wide range of products, we also offer discrete and module types.IGBThas been used in many vehicles, but in recent years, even moreEVsWith the acceleration ofSiC MOSFETWe have expanded our lineup of products, and by making full use of trench technology cultivated through many years of research and development, we offer the best performance and quality in the industry.

Features of Infineon's automotive SiC

• Exceptional gate oxide reliability
• Best-in-class switching and conduction losses
• IGBT compatible drive (+18V)
• Threshold voltage Vth>4V
• High short circuit and avalanche resistance
• Stable production and supply at our own factory
• Conducting reliability tests that exceed AEC-Q101
• Multiple package deployment

Infineon's automotive SiC MOSFET lineup

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