Cutting through the noise
There's been a lot of buzz around SiC and GaN technologies for quite some time now, especially online. In many ways the internet has made the world a smaller place, putting so much information at our fingertips, but it has also made it more confusing. With so many differing views, all vying for our attention, how do you cut through the noise and complexity? Rather than simply proclaiming the benefits of any one technology (or any one supplier), we take a more considered approach. We'll take the time to understand the full context of your product, your market and your business, and work with you to discover the best approach for you.
A broad range of supplier partners bringing innovative products to market
We are proud to partner with a broad range of suppliers offering innovative power products. Our close relationships with suppliers and the breadth of our portfolio give us valuable insight across the power electronics market, making us well placed to advise on the right products and suppliers for your application.
Our power experts and FAEs can offer advice that extends well beyond the datasheet and linecard. We have access to proprietary information from all of our suppliers about their upcoming product roadmaps - which products are being introduced, which are approaching end-of-life, and which companies will be offering which packages, making sure you have a second and third source for your chosen technology.
We can help you decide which supplier is right for you – depending on your application, your designs, your location, your size and which supplier will be able to give you the support you need. Together, we’ll pull together the right team, the right supplier and the right products for your project - and help you get your product out to market faster.
Power trends and the choice between Si, SiC and GaN
For power switching and supply applications, when should designers choose a WBG alternative, and how can they evaluate the trade-offs compared to silicon devices? There is no single answer, and in practice it depends on the requirements and commercial considerations of each use case. Some design engineers may be reluctant to adopt WBG devices, but the benefits often outweigh any disadvantages.
In this article, we will examine these issues, and the design challenges of some of the most critical power applications – and why you might choose silicon or WBG devices in each case.
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Combining GaN and SiC for cost-effective power conversion
Make no mistake, SiC and GaN can outperform silicon, but they do have limitations and discrete devices are currently more expensive than their silicon counterparts. There are operating conditions when they do outperform silicon, and where SiC is better than GaN (or vice versa). Knowing why becomes an important consideration.
There are practical difficulties with using wide bandgap devices to make cost-effective and reliable products. For the best overall result, OEMs should consider combinations of the technologies, even including silicon in the mix. This article evaluates some of the issues and solutions.
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When GaN is too fast for your application, consider SiC
In the world of semiconductor power switches, there is a belief that faster is better. Right now, Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices are the front-runners, with switching rates of over 100V/ns and 1A/ns. At these speeds, slewing from zero to, say, 400V in a typical power converter application takes just a few nanoseconds.
Using SiC MOSFETs at relatively low frequencies instead of GaN can make sense as dynamic losses are low anyway, especially if the circuit is a resonant type. In this case, the absence of reverse recovery losses in GaN is also not of value. Both GaN and SiC will have higher and approximately equal body conduction losses in reverse compared with a Si-MOSFET. SiC will also need some effort to slow down and control edge rates – it is still much faster than silicon – but it will be easier to tame.
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Practical GaN & SiC differences for EV onboard chargers
The debate continues around choosing wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors over standard silicon, particularly in power conversion applications. The main advantage put forward is the higher switching efficiency of gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) devices.
As average selling prices approach parity, the main consideration may become the practical implementation. Is it viable to design power converters using both device types, and what would that do to the overall system cost?
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STMicroelectronics
MASTERGAN1
QFN/ High power density half-bridge high voltage driver with two 650V enhancement
STMicroelectronics
SCT20N170AG
Automotive-grade silicon carbide Power MOSFET 1700 V, 43 A, 64 mOhm (typ., Tj = 25 C) in an HiP247 package
onsemi
NCV57000DWR2G
MOSFET and Power Driver 7.8A Single Hi/Lo Side Inverting/Non-Inverting 16-Pin SOIC T/R
A wide selection gives you the power to choose
Build or buy? Custom design or off-the-shelf supply? These are some of the questions you’ll consider as you design power into your system. Avnet Silica's broad offering gives you the ability to weigh the power solution options with our team and decide what works best for you.
Avnet Silica - Delivering What's Next in Power Electronics
White Paper
GaN or SiC devices in High-Voltage switching technologies
“What do GaN and SiC bring to power electronics systems, that IGBT, MOSFET and Super Junction MOSFET don’t?” Find out the answers to this and many more in our whitepaper.
Wide bandgap semiconductor application testing
In this Webinar we will show you how parametric testing and reliability investigations of these devices are done at onsemi and the importance of these tests for applications.
Silicon Carbide devices and suitable gate drivers for industrial
In this session you will learn about the latest Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices from ST, as well as a short term technology roadmap. In addition, some particularities of ST SiC MOSFETs will be discussed.
Tools
Design Hub
Browse and review hundreds of proven reference designs to accelerate your design process. Try our AVAIL design tool and then export it to your CAD tool of choice.
Tools
Power Simulation
Get familiar with the tools that can help evaluate design ideas faster with our Power Simulation tools.
Markets
AI/ML Solutions
Avnet Silica focuses on machine learning on the edge, in the cloud, and on-premises and supports customers in understanding and building their machine learning application. We make your devices smarter.
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