Fourth generation SiC FETs target 800V bus architectures

11th May 2022

UnitedSiC

Caroline Hayes

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At PCIM Europe (10-12 May 2022) UnitedSiC announced the fourth generation of is 1200V SiC FETs based on its Cascode technology. It also announced that since its acquisition by Qorvo, the company will be known as Qorvo from the end of this year.

The UF4C/SC 1200V SiC FETs are intended for use in mainstream 800V bus architectures in onboard chargers for electric vehicles, industrial battery chargers, industrial power supplies, DC/DC solar inverters, uninterruptible power suplies as induction heating and welding machines.

They have been developed in response to the increased demand for 800V bus designs, for example in electric vehicles (EVs). The SiC FETs are available with four RDS(on) options, i.e., 23, 30, 53 and 70mΩ. They are claimed to have the industry's best SiC FET figure of merit (FIM) values. For example, 1.35mΩ/cm2, Eoss of 0.78Ω-µJ, Coss tr 4.5Ω-pF and Qg 0.9Ω-nC. This latest generation of FETs has the smallest die area compared with the company's earlier generations. They represent a 40% cut in RDS(on) x area compared with the company's Gen 3 1200V SiC FETs.

The SIC FETs are supplied in industry standard, four-lead Kelvin source TO-247 packages. The package is designed to bypass source induction from the gate for cleaner returns and faster switching, says the company. The 53 and 70m devices are also available in the TO-247 3-lead package.

The company explains that the thermal performance of this FET series is achieved via silver-sinter die attached and a wafer thinning process, which was used for the company's earlier 750V SiC FETs.

The 1200V SiC FETs are included in FET-Jet Calculator, a free online design tool that allows for instant evaluation of efficiency, component losses, and junction temperature rise of devices used in a variety of AC/DC and isolated/non-isolated DC/DC converter topologies. Single and paralleled devices may be compared under user-specified heat-sinking conditions to enable optimum solutions.

The 1200V Gen 4 SiC FETs are available now from authorised distributors.

The UnitedSiC stand at PCIM (hall 7 - 406) declares that the company is now Qorvo. The company was acquired by the RF specialist in November 2021, but the name change will be complete in December 2022. At the time, Qorvo president, Philip Chesley commented that the acquisiton would expand Qorvo's reach as it will be part of its Infrastructure & Defense Products (IDP) business and will be led by UnitedSiC's president and CEO, Dr Chris Dries.