Abstract
A $800M device market by 2015
The release of an SiC switch will launch this market and drive new
developments in the automotive, industrial and IT fields. A $800M device
market is thus forecasted by 2015.
It is now clear that the relative stagnation of the SiC power device market is
partially due to a lack of reliable transistor technology. PFC business is the
only one driving SiC device sales and the perspective for higher market
penetration is mainly linked to decreasing device cost. Others applications
are requesting a complete SiC switching cell (diode and transistor).
MOSFET has been investigated by major SiC R&D teams, but it seems more and
more certain that JFET or BJT technologies may be released first on the
market. With an expected SiC switch introduction by 2010, we forecast that SiC
electronics can easily generate $800M revenues by 2015.
With the recent introduction of 4" diameter SiC material coupled with the
ZMP® (Zero MicroPipe) technology acquired from IntrinSiC, US based Cree
is now marketing a product able to fit with the power device makers main
requirements. However, few of them have already entered in the production
phase, and with the exception of Cree, Infineon and newcomer
STMicroelectronics, no other player is commercially active in this segment.
SiC material cost and low diameter has always been mentioned as a restraint to
justify low interest from the big names of this industry. So, now that these 2
parameters are getting solved, the truth is out there and certainly not so far
away from the switch…
SiC device business is not yet the most exciting money-maker activity. We
estimate the SiC-based power electronic devices 2006 sales should have
generated something around $15 million revenues.
The only product commercially available is Schottky diode (SBD), now reaching
1200V and 20A range. This component is targeting numerous possible
applications but is mostly used in high-end PFC (Power Factor Corrector)
systems where it brings some impressive added value like better power
oscillation avoidance and removal of numerous passive discrete components.
SiC switch introduction should definitely boost the market
Diodes and switches are living quite well together and even if the hybrid
approach SiC-Silicon is an alternative, full SiC electronics are highly
requested for numerous applications. To highlight this, hybrid electrical
vehicle (HEV) is today using silicon-based IGBT and diodes in the inverter
module to power the electric motor (30-50kW and more). This silicon chipset
has to be cooled-down by a water based system to maintain device junction
temperature around 85°C. However, it has to use a dedicated water-cooling
system, different from the one in charge of the engine that can handle higher
temperatures. One of the objectives of HEV car makers is to simplify this
setup by implementing SiC-based electronics that can easily withstand
150°C and more. It will then allow using a single water-cooling system
instead of 2. About 15% money saving on the power module could be so achieved.
That approach only goes with a full-SiC electronics chipset and wont be
realistic with an SiC-Silicon solution. In terms of requirements for this
particular application, 1200V/100A SiC single chips would fit perfectly
…
Up to now, main R&D efforts have been oriented to release the SiC MOSFET. Lots
of announcements have been made (Rohm, Cree, Acreo, Toshiba…) but as a
conclusion, the oxide reliability and poor electronic mobility issues remain
partially unsolved. Even if MOSFET remains the most studied device,
alternatives exist and J-FET or BJT are also under the scope of prestigious
R&D groups.
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