What are the Benefits of Wide Bandgap Semiconductors?
Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio
Content Editor & Technical Writer | Ph.D in Physics | Power Electronics, Renewable Energy, Embedded Systems, Quantum Computing
Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors?have significantly impacted possibilities for the devices that use them. A material’s bandgap refers to the amount of energy needed for electrons to move from the highest occupied state of the semiconductor’s valence band to the lowest unoccupied state of the conduction band.
Conventional silicon has a 1.1-eV bandgap. However, WBG semiconductors, such as those made from silicon carbide and gallium nitride, typically have bandgaps of 2× to 3× that.
Here’s a closer look at why people are increasingly more interested in choosing a SiC WBG semiconductor for their projects. SiC semiconductors?can better handle higher energy levels at faster switching speeds. The higher electro-thermal conductivity means that people can achieve cost savings by choosing SiC semiconductors. Doing so allows them to downsize components such as transformers and inductors commonly used in switching designs.
Wide Bandgap Technologies for a New Efficient Industry
By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio
Power electronics involves a whole range of critical applications, from electrification to smart grids. It is a fundamental pillar for the entire industry to meet climate change demands and involves increasing energy efficiency, reducing our carbon footprint through new materials, and adopting new circuit topologies. Physical limitations prevent current silicon technology from achieving the higher power density, miniaturization, and energy conversion efficiency that the market needs from power products to meet growing environmental concerns.
In 2018, the total worldwide electricity consumption was more than 22,000 terawatts per hour. The total global industrial segment alone consumed about 9000 terawatts per hour. If we can improve efficiency by 1% in the industrial market, the world would save total energy of 93.6 terawatts per hour and eliminate 32 million tonnes of CO2 emissions (Source: IEA (International Energy Agency)).
领英推荐
The Potential of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors
The quest for more-efficient electronics centers on power devices, and semiconductor materials are at the vanguard of the R&D activity. Silicon’s low cost and wide availability enabled it to overtake germanium years ago as the dominant power semiconductor material. Today, however, silicon is ceding its dominance in power devices to two higher-efficiency alternatives: silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).
These highly innovative materials belong to the wide-bandgap (WBG) family of semiconductors. WBG’s extraordinary physical and electrical properties make the materials a natural for meeting the performance demands of high-frequency power applications, including power and operating-temperature extremes and the proliferating requirements for faster, high-efficiency, low-loss switching in compact form factors.
The latest market-analysis forecasts for WBG devices estimate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 30% over a 10-year period, bringing global sales to US$3.7 billion in 2025, up from US$210 million in 2015.
Very nicely put, Maurizio. Thanks for creating awareness of WBG semiconductor.