Wolfspeed, a Cree company, has introduced a fully-qualified all-SiC commercial power module. The 62 mm module is designed to offer high efficiency and power density for high-current power electronics such as converters/inverters, motor drives and other EV components.

According to Wolfspeed, the new module achieves efficiency of over 98%, allowing system designers to realize systems that are up to 67% smaller and offer up to 10 times greater power density compared to systems built with conventional silicon IGBT power modules.

Operating at a higher switching frequency with no compromise in system efficiency means a reduction in the number and size of magnetic and passive components required for the balance of the system. The superior thermal characteristics of SiC devices, along with the packaging design and materials, enable the module to operate at 175° C.

The new power module is configured in a half-bridge topology comprised of seven 1.2 kV 25 mΩ C2M SiC MOSFETs and six 1.2 kV 50 A Z-Rec Schottky diodes. The companion gate driver is designed for integration with the module to fit within the 62 mm mounting footprint. An engineering evaluation kit that includes the module and the gate driver is available for design engineers to easily test the performance of the new device in their systems.

“Wolfspeed’s launch of this fully-qualified, next-generation SiC power module represents the culmination of an engineering development program that began with the company’s early SiC MOSFET module designs,” explained John Palmour, Wolfspeed’s Chief Technology Officer. “Our 2015 acquisition of Arkansas Power Electronics enabled our team to deliver this power module design on an aggressive timeline by combining leading-edge SiC device technology with the industry’s most advanced wide-bandgap packaging innovation. The resulting module is the first of many products that promise an accelerated disruption of the power electronics market.”

Source: Wolfspeed