2015 R&D 100 Award

6.5 kV 60A SiC JFET Half-Bridge Module
6.5 kV 60A SiC JFET Half-Bridge Module

Technology: 6.5 kV Enhancement-Mode Silicon Carbide JFET Switch

Developers:

For the next-generation power-conversion technology to meet the efficiency and reliability demands of integrated renewables and energy storage systems requires using high-voltage SiC devices and reducing current throughout a system, as well as reducing the switching losses.

United Silicon Carbide Inc. and Sandia National Laboratories’ 6.5 kV SiC device and power module — the 6.5kV Enhancement-Mode Silicon Carbide JFET Switch — represents a high-voltage module based on reliable, normally off SiC JFETs. It reduces switching losses over that of Si-IGBTs by a factor of 20, and exhibits the fastest turn-on and turn-off of any 6.5 kV power module.