FREEDM-Pair Switches for Power Devices
September 28, 2015 | North Carolina State UniversityEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Wide bandgap semiconductors show tremendous potential as medium- and high-voltage power devices because of their capacity to work more efficiently and at higher temperatures.
Currently, though, their high cost impedes their widespread adoption over the prevailing workhorse and industry standard – insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) made from silicon – which generally work well but incur large energy losses when they are turned on and off.
Now, research from NC State University suggests that pairing these different switches inside power devices can improve performance while keeping costs relatively low.
Alex Huang, Progress Energy Distinguished Professor and founding director of the FREEDM Systems Center, and Xiaoqing Song, an electrical engineering graduate student, developed the so-called FREEDM-Pair, which combines the workmanlike advantages of the IGBT device with the high performance of silicon carbide wide bandgap devices.
The results show that the IGBT switch handles the high current flow, while the wide bandgap switch handles lower current and switching, maximizing the advantages of each switch.
Experimental results for a 6.5 kilovolt FREEDM-Pair showed a 70 percent switching loss reduction at a cost 50 percent higher than using an IGBT device by itself.
“We predict that the cost will continue to drop over time,” Song said.
Huang presented the research earlier this month at the 17th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications in Geneva, Switzerland.
Suggested Items
Cybord Raises $8.7 Million Series A to Expand First-of-its-Kind Visual AI Electronic Component Quality and Traceability Solution
09/17/2024 | CybordLeveraging AI and big data, Cybord analyzes 100% of electronic components on the assembly line, verifying their reliability, authenticity, and traceability to support all industries utilizing electronic circuit boards, from automotive to data centers
Infineon Pioneers World’s First 300 mm Power Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology
09/16/2024 | InfineonInfineon Technologies AG announced that the company has succeeded in developing the world’s first 300 mm power gallium nitride (GaN) wafer technology.
Exowatt Unveils Pioneering Modular Energy Platform to Revolutionize Renewable Energy for AI-Driven Data Centers
09/13/2024 | BUSINESS WIREExowatt, a next-generation renewable energy company, announced the launch of its flagship product, the Exowatt P3, a groundbreaking modular energy solution designed to meet the growing power demands of data centers and energy-intensive industries.
Creative Materials, Unveils Economical Conductive Ink and High Dielectric Strength Ink for Advanced Electronic Applications
09/11/2024 | Creative Materials, Inc.Creative Materials Inc., an innovator of materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce the launch of two new high performance ink products:
I-Connect007 Editor's Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/06/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007This week’s Top 5 starts with steps you can take to cultivate a culture of thriving. We also have bullish news from the global semiconductor sector, advice on how to tease out hidden cost drivers during the PCB design cycle, how the Altium-Ansys collaboration will affect design, and Happy Holden’s version of Occam’s Razor—three simple tools to keep your wet processes in line.