Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices
This article provides a comprehensive review of wide and ultrawide bandgap power electronic semiconductor devices, comparing silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and the emerging device diamond technology. Key parameters examined include bandgap, critical electric field, elect...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2045 |
| _version_ | 1797458402102738944 |
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| author | S M Sajjad Hossain Rafin Roni Ahmed Md. Asadul Haque Md. Kamal Hossain Md. Asikul Haque Osama A. Mohammed |
| author_facet | S M Sajjad Hossain Rafin Roni Ahmed Md. Asadul Haque Md. Kamal Hossain Md. Asikul Haque Osama A. Mohammed |
| author_sort | S M Sajjad Hossain Rafin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article provides a comprehensive review of wide and ultrawide bandgap power electronic semiconductor devices, comparing silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and the emerging device diamond technology. Key parameters examined include bandgap, critical electric field, electron mobility, voltage/current ratings, switching frequency, and device packaging. The historical evolution of each material is traced from early research devices to current commercial offerings. Significant focus is given to SiC and GaN as they are now actively competing with Si devices in the market, enabled by their higher bandgaps. The paper details advancements in material growth, device architectures, reliability, and manufacturing that have allowed SiC and GaN adoption in electric vehicles, renewable energy, aerospace, and other applications requiring high power density, efficiency, and frequency operation. Performance enhancements over Si are quantified. However, the challenges associated with the advancements of these devices are also elaborately described: material availability, thermal management, gate drive design, electrical insulation, and electromagnetic interference. Alongside the cost reduction through improved manufacturing, material availability, thermal management, gate drive design, electrical insulation, and electromagnetic interference are critical hurdles of this technology. The review analyzes these issues and emerging solutions using advanced packaging, circuit integration, novel cooling techniques, and modeling. Overall, the manuscript provides a timely, rigorous examination of the state of the art in wide bandgap power semiconductors. It balances theoretical potential and practical limitations while assessing commercial readiness and mapping trajectories for further innovation. This article will benefit researchers and professionals advancing power electronic systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:36:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-caa420ee6c8046029fc311d6cbf60055 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:36:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-caa420ee6c8046029fc311d6cbf600552023-11-24T14:56:21ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-10-011411204510.3390/mi14112045Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap DevicesS M Sajjad Hossain Rafin0Roni Ahmed1Md. Asadul Haque2Md. Kamal Hossain3Md. Asikul Haque4Osama A. Mohammed5Energy Systems Research Laboratory, Department of ECE, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USADepartment of ECE, Presidency University, Dhaka 1212, BangladeshDepartment of EEE, Northern University Bangladesh, Dhaka 1230, BangladeshDepartment of EEE, Northern University Bangladesh, Dhaka 1230, BangladeshDepartment of EEE, Northern University Bangladesh, Dhaka 1230, BangladeshEnergy Systems Research Laboratory, Department of ECE, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USAThis article provides a comprehensive review of wide and ultrawide bandgap power electronic semiconductor devices, comparing silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and the emerging device diamond technology. Key parameters examined include bandgap, critical electric field, electron mobility, voltage/current ratings, switching frequency, and device packaging. The historical evolution of each material is traced from early research devices to current commercial offerings. Significant focus is given to SiC and GaN as they are now actively competing with Si devices in the market, enabled by their higher bandgaps. The paper details advancements in material growth, device architectures, reliability, and manufacturing that have allowed SiC and GaN adoption in electric vehicles, renewable energy, aerospace, and other applications requiring high power density, efficiency, and frequency operation. Performance enhancements over Si are quantified. However, the challenges associated with the advancements of these devices are also elaborately described: material availability, thermal management, gate drive design, electrical insulation, and electromagnetic interference. Alongside the cost reduction through improved manufacturing, material availability, thermal management, gate drive design, electrical insulation, and electromagnetic interference are critical hurdles of this technology. The review analyzes these issues and emerging solutions using advanced packaging, circuit integration, novel cooling techniques, and modeling. Overall, the manuscript provides a timely, rigorous examination of the state of the art in wide bandgap power semiconductors. It balances theoretical potential and practical limitations while assessing commercial readiness and mapping trajectories for further innovation. This article will benefit researchers and professionals advancing power electronic systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2045wide bandgap devicesultrawide bandgap devicessiliconsilicon carbideGaNdiamond |
| spellingShingle | S M Sajjad Hossain Rafin Roni Ahmed Md. Asadul Haque Md. Kamal Hossain Md. Asikul Haque Osama A. Mohammed Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices Micromachines wide bandgap devices ultrawide bandgap devices silicon silicon carbide GaN diamond |
| title | Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices |
| title_full | Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices |
| title_fullStr | Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices |
| title_full_unstemmed | Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices |
| title_short | Power Electronics Revolutionized: A Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Wide and Ultrawide Bandgap Devices |
| title_sort | power electronics revolutionized a comprehensive analysis of emerging wide and ultrawide bandgap devices |
| topic | wide bandgap devices ultrawide bandgap devices silicon silicon carbide GaN diamond |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2045 |
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