STMicroelectronics unveils new technology of silicon carbide energy expertise tailor-made for next-generation EV traction inverters

• Smaller, extra environment friendly merchandise to ramp-up in volumes via 2025 throughout 750V and 1200V lessons, will deliver the benefits of silicon carbide past premium fashions to mid-size and compact electrical autos.
• ST plans to introduce a number of silicon carbide expertise improvements via 2027, together with a radical innovation.

STMicroelectronics, a world semiconductor chief serving clients throughout the spectrum of electronics purposes, is introducing its fourth-generation STPOWER silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET expertise. The Technology 4 expertise brings new benchmarks in energy effectivity, energy density and robustness. Whereas serving the wants of each the automotive and industrial markets, the brand new expertise is especially optimized for traction inverters, the important thing element of electrical automobile (EV) powertrains. The corporate plans to introduce additional superior SiC expertise improvements via 2027 as a dedication to innovation.

“STMicroelectronics is dedicated to driving the way forward for electrical mobility and industrial effectivity via our cutting-edge silicon carbide expertise. We proceed to advance SiC MOSFET expertise with improvements within the machine, superior packages, and energy modules,” stated Marco Cassis, President, Analog, Energy & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors Group. “Along with our vertically built-in manufacturing technique, we’re delivering trade main SiC expertise efficiency and a resilient provide chain to fulfill the rising wants of our clients and contribute to a extra sustainable future.”

Because the market chief in SiC energy MOSFETs, ST is driving additional innovation to use SiC’s greater effectivity and better energy density in comparison with silicon gadgets. This newest technology of SiC gadgets is conceived to profit future EV traction inverter platforms, with additional advances in measurement and energy-saving potential. Whereas the EV market continues to develop, challenges stay to realize widespread adoption and automobile makers want to ship extra inexpensive electrical vehicles. 800V EV bus drive programs primarily based on SiC have enabled sooner charging and decreased EV weight, permitting automobile makers to provide autos with longer driving ranges for premium fashions. ST’s new SiC MOSFET gadgets, which shall be made accessible in 750V and 1200V lessons, will enhance vitality effectivity and efficiency of each 400V and 800V EV bus traction inverters, bringing the benefits of SiC to mid-size and compact EVs — key segments to assist obtain mass market adoption. The brand new technology SiC expertise can be appropriate for a wide range of high-power industrial purposes, together with photo voltaic inverters, vitality storage options and datacenters, considerably bettering vitality effectivity for these rising purposes.

Availability
ST has accomplished qualification of the 750V class of the fourth technology SiC expertise platform and expects to finish qualification of the 1200V class within the first quarter of 2025. Industrial availability of gadgets with nominal voltage rankings of 750V and 1200V will observe, permitting designers to handle purposes working from normal AC-line voltages as much as high-voltage EV batteries and chargers.

Use instances
ST’s Technology 4 SiC MOSFETs present greater effectivity, smaller parts, decreased weight, and prolonged driving vary in comparison with silicon-based options. These advantages are crucial for attaining widespread adoption of EVs and main EV producers are engaged with ST to introduce the Technology 4 SiC expertise into their autos, enhancing efficiency and vitality effectivity. Whereas the first software is EV traction inverters, ST’s Technology 4 SiC MOSFETs are additionally appropriate to be used in high-power industrial motor drives, benefiting from the gadgets’ improved switching efficiency and robustness. This leads to extra environment friendly and dependable motor management, decreasing vitality consumption and operational prices in industrial settings. In renewable vitality purposes, the Technology 4 SiC MOSFETs improve the effectivity of photo voltaic inverters and vitality storage programs, contributing to extra sustainable and cost-effective vitality options. Moreover, these SiC MOSFETs could be utilized in energy provide items for server datacenters for AI, the place their excessive effectivity and compact measurement are essential for the numerous energy calls for and thermal administration challenges.

Roadmap
To speed up the event of SiC energy gadgets via its vertically built-in manufacturing technique, ST is creating a number of SiC expertise improvements in parallel to advance energy machine applied sciences over the subsequent three years. The fifth technology of ST SiC energy gadgets will function an progressive high-power density expertise primarily based on planar construction.  ST is on the similar time creating a radical innovation that guarantees excellent on-resistance RDS(on)  worth at excessive temperatures and additional RDS(on) discount, in comparison with current SiC applied sciences.

ST will attend ICSCRM 2024, the annual scientific and trade convention exploring the most recent achievements in SiC and different extensive bandgap semiconductors. The occasion, from September 29 to October 04, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina will embody ST technical displays and an industrial keynote on ‘Excessive quantity industrial surroundings for vanguard applied sciences in SiC’. Discover out extra right here: ICSCRM 2024 – STMicroelectronics.