21 June 2011

Cree launches 1200V Z-Rec SiC Schottkys for power conversion applications

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA, which manufactures silicon carbide (SiC) substrates as well as power devices, has launched a new family of seven 1200V Z-Rec SiC Schottky diodes optimized for price and performance and available in a range of amperages and packages. The firm is aiming to advance the adoption of SiC power devices into mainstream power applications by introducing a comprehensive family of SiC diodes with a wide range of amperage ratings and package options.

“To develop the next generation of power electronics, design engineers are looking for the unique performance advantages of SiC Schottky diodes – zero reverse recovery losses, temperature-independent switching losses, higher-frequency operation – all with a lower EMI signature,” says John Palmour, Cree co-founder & chief technology officer, Power and RF. “This new family of diodes allows a higher current density and increased avalanche capability over previous-generation SiC Schottky diodes with no penalty in performance,” he adds. “Cree’s recent innovations in device design and commitment to continuous process improvement are allowing us to offer significantly higher amperage ratings at lower cost per amp.”

Cree’s Z-Rec diodes feature zero reverse recovery, resulting in a reduction in switching losses of up to 50% versus comparable silicon diodes. They also exhibit consistent switching performance across their entire temperature range, simplifying circuit design and reducing the need for complex thermal management, the firm claims. When used in conjunction with Cree’s 1200V SiC power MOSFETs (launched in May), the Schottkys enable the implementation of all-SiC power electronic circuits with the capability to operate at up to four times higher switching frequencies compared with conventional silicon diodes and insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), says the firm. This enables a reduction in the size, complexity and cost of inverter circuitry, while achieving extremely high system efficiency, Cree claims. Finally, the new family has the additional benefits of higher surge ratings and avalanche capabilities than the previous generation of SiC Schottky diodes, helping to increase overall system reliability.

The devices are suitable as boost diodes and anti-parallel diodes in solar inverters and 3-phase motor drive circuits, as well as in power factor correction (PFC) boost circuits in power supplies and UPS (uninterruptible power supply) equipment. They can also be used in applications where engineers typically parallel many devices to address higher-power requirements.

Devices now released are rated for 2A [C4D02120x], 5A [C4D05120x], 10A [C4D10120x], 20A [C4D20120x] and 40A[C4D40120x]. Dependent on amperage ratings, the parts are available in standard or fully isolated TO-220 and standard TO-247 packages.

The new Z-Rec 1200V Schottky diodes are fully qualified and released for production use. 

Tags: Cree SiC Schottky diodes

Visit: www.cree.com/power