Power-system designers are well aware of the benefits to be gained from adopting new wide bandgap semiconductor technology – silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and diodes, and gallium nitride (GaN) transistors. But in navigating such a new and fast-changing area of technology, engineers told Future Electronics it would be helpful to have an expert guide, to show which products were available from which suppliers, how a wide bandgap power switch could be paired with the best driver, and the technical considerations to be taken into account when designing a SiC- or GaN-based application.
This request from customers inspired Future Electronics to create the first edition of the Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Selection Guide, published at the end of 2022. The guide is unique in the electronics industry, as it provides a listing of the SiC and GaN products available from the leading suppliers – companies such as Infineon, Microchip, onsemi, ROHM and STMicroelectronics – in a format that allows for direct like-for-like comparison of their key performance characteristics and specifications.
The guide also provides a fascinating introduction to the capabilities of SiC MOSFETs and GaN high electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), and to the special factors, such as gate-driving conditions, that apply to each. At the back of the guide is a set of technical articles that engineers can use to build their understanding of the issues to consider in implementing SiC- and GaN-based designs.
Now Future Electronics is launching a second edition of the guide, published at the end of 2023. This new edition fully updates the product listings, featuring the latest products and the new, improved product specifications that suppliers have introduced during 2023.
There is now an even wider choice of products, and more ways to make implementation of wide bandgap semiconductor technology easier, such as GaN HEMTs with integrated drivers in a system-in-package. There is also a new technical article from Microchip, and the guidance on applications has been updated to reflect the new capabilities of the latest products.
The Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Selection Guide is available free on request to any Future Electronics customer. Request the download here.