News: Microelectronics
11 September 2024
Infineon nominated for Deutscher Zukunftspreis for developing 3300V vertical-channel SiC trench MOSFET
Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany is one of three teams nominated by the jury for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2024, the German Federal President’s Award for Technology and Innovation (to be awarded by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on 27 November).
A team of developers from Infineon, together with Chemnitz University of Technology, has developed the first silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET with a vertical channel (trench MOSFET) and innovative copper contacting in the 3300V voltage class. The new SiC modules and power converters equipped with the modules are said to represent a leap in semiconductor technology from conventional silicon to more energy-efficient silicon carbide, reducing switching losses in high-current applications by 90%.
Trench MOSFETs differ from planar MOSFETs in their cell structure and performance. While the current flow in planar MOSFETs is initially horizontal, trench MOSFETs offer purely vertical channels. This results in a higher cell density per surface area, which in turn significantly reduces the losses in the chip during energy conversion and hence increases efficiency.
Picture: The newly developed CoolSiC XHP2 module family enables significant energy savings, e.g. in industrial power generation in solar parks or wind turbines.
The CoolSiC XHP2 module family is said to enable significant energy savings, for example in industrial power generation in solar parks or wind turbines, in power transmission and, above all, in end consumption, where high energies in the megawatt range are required. A single train with a silicon carbide drive system can save about 300MWh per year compared with the previous silicon-based solution. This is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 100 single-family homes. Together with drive technology manufacturers and rail operators, Infineon is contributing to decarbonization, while local residents also benefit from the lower noise level of trains with SiC modules when they pass through residential areas.
Picture: The team around Dr Konrad Schraml (center), Dr Caspar Leendertz (right, both Infineon) and professor Dr Thomas Basler (TU Chemnitz) brought the 3300V CoolSiC XHP2 high-performance module to production maturity.
Through developments in chip processing and design as well as contacting and module technology, the team led by Dr Konrad Schraml, Dr Caspar Leendertz (both Infineon) and professor Dr Thomas Basler (Chemnitz University of Technology) has brought the 3300V CoolSiC XHP2 high-performance module to production readiness. With ten times greater reliability against thermomechanical stress and a significantly higher power density compared with silicon modules, the new silicon carbide module can also be used to electrify large drives in diesel locomotives, agricultural and construction machinery, aircraft and ships, which were previously reserved for fossil fuels. The significantly higher switching frequencies permitted by the new module enable a significant reduction in weight and volume of power converters.
“This nomination shows that climate change and sustainable resource consumption have become central aspects of our society,” notes Dr Peter Wawer, division president Green Industrial Power (GIP) at Infineon. “Innovative energy solutions and power semiconductors are a core component in decarbonization and fighting climate change,” he adds.
