Wide bandgap transistors

The key for the next essential step towards a more energy-efficient world lies in the use of new materials, such as wide bandgap semiconductors (WBG) which allow for increased power efficiency, smaller size, lighter weight, lower system cost or all of these together. STMicroelectronics offers the broadest product and technology portfolio of silicon carbide (MOSFETs) and gallium-nitride-based (e-mode HEMT) devices, covering bare dies, discretes and modules belonging to the STPOWER family.

• Silicon carbide (SiC) has an energy bandgap of 3 electronvolt (eV) and a much higher thermal conductivity compared to silicon (Si). SiC-based MOSFETs are best suited for high-voltage and high-power applications since they combine high power density and higher switching performance with respect to silicon. Our wide portfolio of SiC MOSFETs ensures developers can find the device that perfectly matches their design requirements from our G1 devices with a very  stable on-state resistance (R_DS(on)) in function of temperature to the high-speed switching characteristics of our latest G3 SiC MOSFETs. This translates into tighter design margins, increasing the performance of your designs. Across a wide range of clusters from 650 to 2200 V, our SiC MOSFETs are ideal for industrial and automotive applications such as traction inverters, on-board chargers, fast charging stations, DC-DC converters, high-end PFCs, SMPS and auxiliary power supplies as well as UPS, solar inverters, welding equipment and industrial drives. STPOWER SiC MOSFETs are also available in various discrete packages and as bare die.
• Gallium Nitride on silicon substrate (GaN/Si), the other member of the WBG family, has an even higher energy bandgap 3.4 eV and substantially higher electron mobility than SiC itself. Compared to silicon, the breakdown field is ten times higher and the electron mobility is double. Both the output charge and gate charge are ten times lower than with Si, and the reverse recovery charge is almost zero which is key to high-frequency operations especially in bridge topologies. GaN lends itself to be used in a large variety of applications and is the technology of choice in modern resonant topologies allowing designers to attain far higher efficiencies. By virtue of its properties the GaN HeMT (High electron mobility transistor) will be widely used in electric vehicles but also in industrial, telecom, and specific consumer applications across both the 100 V, the 650 V and 900 V clusters.

STPOWER SiC and GaN power transistors represent the natural evolution from silicon-based products towards the need for better efficiency, reduced equipment form factor, therefore compliance with the noble goal of making our environment greener and more “enjoyable”.