Smaller, faster, tougher

Journal Article · Mon Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · IEEE Spectrum

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/MSPEC.2011.6027247· OSTI ID:1491298

Ozpineci, Burak ^[1]; Tolbert, Leon ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Silicon has long been the semiconductor of choice for such power electronics. But soon this ubiquitous substance will have to share the spotlight. Devices made from silicon carbide (SiC)-a faster, tougher, and more efficient alternative to straight silicon-are beginning to take off. Simple SiC diodes have already started to supplant silicon devices in some applications. And over the last few years, they've been joined by the first commercially available SiC transistors, enabling anew range of SiC-based power electronics. What's more, SiC wafer manufacturers have steadily reduced the defects in the material while increasing the wafer size, thus driving down the prices of SiC devices. Last year, according to estimates made by wafer maker Cree, the global market for silicon carbide devices topped US $100 million for the first time.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1491298
• Journal Information: IEEE Spectrum, Vol. 48, Issue 10; ISSN 0018-9235
• Publisher: IEEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE