Onsemi reveals next-gen silicon carbide platform
US chip maker Onsemi has unveiled a new SiC platform that it claims can reduce conduction losses by 30% and switch-off losses by up to 50%.
OnSemi argues that the future of electrification is dependent on advanced power semiconductors, and that today’s infrastructure cannot keep up without significant innovations. This is where SiC tech comes in. OnSemi says its new EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs offer the industry’s lowest specific on-resistance with short-circuit capability. This is critical in the electric vehicles space, where inverters convert the direct current from the battery into alternating current for the electric motor. The lower the conversion losses and cooling requirements, the greater the range of the vehicle with the same battery size.
“The future of electrification is dependent on advanced power semiconductors. Today’s infrastructure cannot keep up with the world’s demands for more intelligence and electrified mobility without significant innovations in power. This is critical to the ability to achieve global electrification and stop climate change,” said Simon Keeton, group president, Power Solutions Group, onsemi in an official release. “We are setting the pace for innovation, with plans to significantly increase power density in our silicon carbide technology roadmap through 2030 to be able to meet the growing demands for energy and enable the global transition to electrification.”
Onsemi plans to introduce several future generations of silicon carbide by 2030. The manufacturer is also investing in a European SiC semiconductor plant in the Czech Republic.
