New SiC Schottky diodes increase efficiency and reliability for switching power designs

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc has released 17 new Gen 3 650V SiC Schottky diodes. Providing a merged PIN Schottky (MPS) design, the devices combine high surge current robustness with low forward voltage drop, capacitive charge, and reverse leakage current to improve efficiency and reliability in switching power designs.

The next-generation SiC diodes comprise 4A to 40A devices in the TO-22OAC 2L and TO-247AD 3L through-hole and D²PAK 2L (TO-263AB 2L) surface-mount packages. Their MPS structure decreases their forward voltage drop by 0.3V compared to previous-generation solutions, while their forward voltage drop times capacitive charge – a key FOM for power efficiency – is 17 % lower.

The diodes' typical reverse leakage current is 30% lower at room temperature and 70% lower at high temperatures than the nearest competing solution. This decreases conduction losses to provide high system efficiency during light loads and idling. Unlike ultrafast diodes, the Gen 3 devices have practically no recovery tail, improving efficiency.

Compared to silicon diodes with comparable breakdown voltages, the SiC devices deliver higher thermal conductivity, lower reverse current, and shorter reverse recovery times. The diodes' reverse recovery times are almost temperature-independent, allowing operation at higher temperatures to +175C without the shifts in power efficiency induced by switching losses.

Typical applications for the devices will include AC/DC PFC and DC-DC ultra high-frequency output rectification in FBPS and LLC converters for energy generation and exploration applications. Delivering high reliability, the RoHS-compliant and halogen-free diodes have passed higher temperature reverse bias testing of 2000 hours and temperature cycling testing of 2000 thermal cycles. This is double the testing hours and cycles of AEC-Q101 requirements.