Power Electronics

“Embedded in everything from desktop computers to mining trucks, power supplies and related gear are becoming ubiquitous. But until recently the products were just too expensive, bulky and unreliable. Now, however, advanced power supplies are built around high-speed, high-power semiconductor switches…”

- Forbes Magazine, A Power Portfolio, 4/11/05

Applications involving the conversion, transmission and management of power are major areas for the expanded use of silicon carbide semiconductor devices. The inherent advantages of silicon carbide over silicon, such as higher breakdown voltages and faster switching speeds, allow for improved performance, efficiency, and reliability. A particularly important attribute is high thermal conductivity, which enables silicon carbide-based devices to operate at high power levels and still dissipate the excess heat generated. The net impact is increased efficiency and significantly reduced energy costs.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and power grids exemplify the potential for silicon carbide-based power devices to transform some of the world’s largest industries.