GaN and SiC: ON TRACK FOR SPEED AND EFFICIENCY

摘要

Silicon power MOSFETs are approaching their theoreti- cal Performance limits tor hoth on-resistance and gate charge. Although silicon switches will continue to eke out gains, the increases will come more slowly and he smaller. Enter wide-handgap materials: SiC (silicon carhide) and GaN (gallium nitride). Both fechnolo- gies have for several years found use in RF amplifiers. Advances in process manufacturing are driving down the costs and increasing the power capability of power switches employing these materials, and proponents ot hoth claim that they will supplant silicon MOSFETs in switched-mode-power-suppiy designs in which power density and efficiency are key attributes.