Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA claims to have shattered the on-resistance barrier of traditional 1200V MOSFET technology by introducing the first commercially available silicon carbide (SiC) 1200V MOSFET with an RDS(ON) of 25mΩ in an industry-standard TO-247-3 package. The C2M0025120D SiC MOSFET is expected to be widely adopted in photovoltaic (PV) inverters, high-voltage DC/DC converters, induction heating systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, and medical CT applications.
Based on Cree's proven C2M SiC MOSFET technology, the new device has a pulsed current rating (IDS pulse) of 250A and a positive temperature coefficient, providing greater design flexibility to explore new design concepts. The high IDS pulse rating makes the device suitable for pulsed power applications, says Cree, and the positive temperature coefficient allows the devices to be paralleled to achieve even higher power levels.
The higher switching frequency of the new C2M0025120D enables power electronics design engineers to reduce the size, weight, cost and complexity of power systems, says Cree. For medical applications, such as CT systems, Cree's C2M MOSFETs provide a five-fold reduction in switching losses and enable much higher power density, it is claimed. Combined with the lower switching losses, the added benefit of low RDS(ON) greatly improves the thermal characteristics and can potentially even eliminate system fans, resulting in quieter and more cost-effective medical imaging systems, says the firm.
Cree has also demonstrated that, by implementing the C2M0025120D in a PV string-inverter, it is possible to develop a highly efficient and compact 50kW grid-tied solar inverter with a power-to-weight ratio of 1kW/kg. This results in a string inverter that is significantly more efficient and half the weight and size of the state-of-the-art commercial 50kW systems available currently, Cree reckons. Additionally, for rooftop PV inverters, the smaller size and lighter weight greatly reduce the installation costs.
Cree offers several tools to help engineers get started with their next designs, including full reference designs of recommended SiC MOSFET gate driver circuits. Customers can also purchase Cree CRD-001 gate driver boards, which provide a convenient way to quickly evaluate the C2M0025120D using industry-standard components. Further, the MOSFETs are also compatible with a host of industry-standard gate drivers from leading IC companies such as TI, Avago and IXYS.
Cree is exhibiting the C2M0025120D SiC MOSFET in hall 9, booth #260, at PCIM (Power Conversion Intelligent Motion) Europe 2014 in Nuremberg, Germany (20–22 May).
