SiC comes of age for outdoor uses

Reiterating its focus on the automotive sector and commitment to SiC technology, Rohm Semiconductor has introduced a 1700V SiC power module. The BSM250D17P2E004 is a 1,700V/250A-rated SiC power module that is claimed to provide the highest level of reliability and which is optimized for outdoor power generation systems, such as inverters for solar power and converters for industrial supplies.

The introduction extends the use of SiC, which has increasingly been adopted in 1200V applications such as electric vehicles (EVs) and industrial equipment. These applications’ higher power densities, and subsequent higher system voltages, has led to an increase in demand for 1,700V products to be used in place of IGBTs.

The company explained at the module’s launch at electronica 2018, in Munich, Germany, that the module demonstrates high reliability at 1,700V, while maintaining the energy-saving performance of the earlier, 1,200V products. The introduction represents the first successful commercialization of 1,700V-rated SiC power modules, says the company.

The module ‘s construction and coating materials were selected to prevent dielectric breakdown and suppress increases in leakage current. It prevents dielectric breakdown even after 1,000 hours under high temperature high humidity bias testing (HV-H3TRB), reports the company and ensures high 1,700V withstand voltage even under severe temperature and humidity environments.

SiC MOSFETs and SiC Schottky barrier diodes are integrated into the module while the internal structure make it possible to reduce on resistance by 10% over other SiC products in its class, to improve energy savings.

Evaluation boards will be available for testing and verifying the SiC modules.Going forward, we will continue to expand our lineup to ensure worry-free use by customers and work to increase demand by offering evaluation boards that allow easy testing and verification of our SiC modules.