Power Conversion With SiC Devices at Extremely High Ambient Temperatures

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 22; no. 4; pp. 1321 - 1329
• Main Authors: Funaki, T., Balda, J.C., Junghans, J., Kashyap, A.S., Mantooth, H.A., Barlow, F., Kimoto, T., Hikihara, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.07.2007; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Ambient temperature; Applied sciences; Avionics; Circuits; Converters; dc-dc converter circuit; device characterization; Devices; Diodes; Direct current; Electric power; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Electronics packaging; Exact sciences and technology; high temperature operation; JFET; packaging; Power conversion; Power electronics, power supplies; Power semiconductor devices; Schottky barriers; Semiconductor device packaging; Semiconductor diodes; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Semiconductors; Silicon carbide; silicon carbide (SiC) device; Temperature; Temperature distribution; Temperature measurement; Transistors; Static characteristic; Derating; Junction field effect transistor; high temperature operation; Temperature effect; High temperature; silicon carbide (SiC) device; Switching conditions; Direct current; High-temperature electronics; Electronic packaging; Energy conversion; Electric loss; Power semiconductor devices; Electrical characteristic; dc-dc converter circuit; Road vehicle; Power circuit; Direct current convertor; Power electronics; packaging; DC-DC power convertors; Switching; Temperature measurement; Power device; Schottky barrier diode; device characterization; Room temperature
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2007.900561

This paper evaluates the capability of SiC power semiconductor devices, in particular JFET and Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) for application in high-temperature power electronics. SiC JFETs and SBDs were packaged in high temperature packages to measure the dc characteristics of these SiC devices at ambient temperatures ranging from 25degC (room temperature) up to 450degC. The results show that both devices can operate at 450degC, which is impossible for conventional Si devices, at the expense of significant derating. The current capability of the SiC SBD does not change with temperature, but as expected the JFET current decreases with rising temperatures. A 100 V, 25 W dc-dc converter is used as an example of a high-temperature power-electronics circuit because of circuit simplicity. The converter is designed and built in accordance with the static characteristics of the SiC devices measured under extremely high ambient temperatures, and then tested up to an ambient temperature of 400degC. The conduction loss of the SiC JFET increases slightly with increasing temperatures, as predicted from its dc characteristics, but its switching characteristics hardly change. Thus, SiC devices are well suited for operation in harsh temperature environments like aerospace and automotive applications.