TranSiC AB Launches Silicon Carbide Bipolar Junction Transistors & SiC Schottky Diode
TranSiC AB, the developer of power transistors in wide bandgap Silicon Carbide, announced the launch of engineering samples of the first silicon carbide switching power bipolar junction transistor together with a silicon carbide Schottky diode in a TO-220 package. This switching power transistor, the BitSiC1206,™ is a "normally off" transistor. The BitSiC1206 is a 1200V 6A device which can handle very high junction temperatures.
Among the applications in which the company states that designers will want to move from silicon power components are: hybrid electrical vehicles, high power electric motor controller in general. For all these applications silicon carbide can solve the problems with high temperature environment, inverters of solar cells and switching losses.
The company also announced the launch of the first silicon carbide 20A, 600V, switching power bipolar junction transistor – the BitSiC0620™. It is stated that they can handle very high junction temperature and that initial tests show good immunity for cosmic radiation. Engineering samples are now offered.
The silicon carbide BJT has a very low collector-emitter saturation voltage VCESAT that enables more than 60% reduced on-state power losses compared to Si IGBT technology with the same chip area.
The BitSiC 0620VCESAT was in a pulsed measurement at room temperature for a 20A BJT with an active chip area of 12mm². The open base breakdown voltage BVCEO of this BJT is above 600V. Additionally, the BJT exhibits fast switching due to the small amount of stored charge of silicon carbide devices. The SiC BJT chip shows very good high temperature capability, and has been successfully tested up to more than 250°C as well as down to -80°C.
TranSiC promotes the silicon carbide BJT as an alternative to Si IGBTs in applications where low power losses, high switching frequencies, and high maximum junction temperatures are desired. Engineering samples of 20A BJTs, BitSiC0620 are now being shipped to customers for evaluations.
TranSiC offers SiC BJTs as single dies, as discrete in TO220 package, or on DCB substrates.
