Technical Analysis of SiC Wafer For Power Semiconductor Devices in New Energy Vehicles

Silicon carbide (SiC) possesses excellent electrical characteristics including high voltage resistance, high temperature tolerance, high frequency performance, and radiation resistance. HMT brings 2 inch 4 inch 6 inch and 8 inch 4H-N SiC wafers for power devices application. It breaks through the physical limitations of silicon-based semiconductor materials and has become the core material of third-generation semiconductors. The superior performance of SiC materials is driving revolutionary changes in power devices.

The function of power devices is to process, convert, and control electrical energy. Compared to silicon-based power devices, SiC-based power devices offer significant advantages such as high voltage resistance, high temperature tolerance, lower energy loss, and higher power density, enabling miniaturization and lightweight design of power modules. For MOSFETs of the same specifications, SiC-based versions can reduce size to 1/10 of their silicon counterparts, with on-resistance decreased to at least 1/100. Compared to silicon IGBTs, total energy loss can be reduced by up to 70%.



SiC power devices are primarily applied in new energy vehicle electric drive and control systems. Compared to traditional silicon-based power semiconductor devices, SiC power devices demonstrate clear advantages in voltage resistance, switching loss, and high temperature performance, contributing to lighter and more efficient power electronic drive systems in new energy vehicles. They are widely used in key components such as main drive inverters, OBC (on-board chargers), DC/DC converters, and off-board charging stations.

Major new energy vehicle manufacturers are actively adopting SiC technology in their models. When applied in vehicle charging systems and power conversion systems, SiC devices can effectively reduce switching losses, increase maximum operating temperatures, and improve system efficiency. Currently, over 20 global automakers have implemented SiC power devices in their onboard charging systems. In new energy vehicle charging stations, SiC devices help reduce charger size while improving charging speed. The application of SiC in new energy vehicles significantly reduces vehicle weight while maintaining structural strength and safety performance, effectively increasing electric vehicle range by over 10% and reducing the volume of electronic control systems by 80%.