Silicon Carbide – The Super Material of the Future
Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum, is a semiconductor containing silicon and carbon. Only diamonds are harder than silicon carbide naturally. Due to its excellent material properties like high thermal conductivity, high electric field breakdown strength and high maximum current density, silicon carbide is being seen as the material of the future. Let’s explore some key aspects of this wonder material.
Properties of Silicon Carbide
Silicon carbide is an extremely hard and strong material. On the Mohs hardness scale, SiC registers a 9 which is close to diamond at 10. Some important material properties that make it extremely attractive for high power and high-temperature applications are:
– High thermal conductivity: SiC has a thermal conductivity that is 3-6 times higher than copper and rivaling metals like aluminum. This allows it to efficiently dissipate heat generated.
– High electric field breakdown strength: The high electric field strength of SiC (2-5 times more than silicon) allows thinner substrates and lower on-resistance. This improves power conversion efficiency.
– Wide bandgap: Silicon Carbide has a bandgap of 3 eV, which is three times that of silicon. This superior electrical insulation property allows SiC devices to operate at higher temperatures, voltages and frequencies.
– Low dielectric constant: SiC has a dielectric constant of 9.7, lower than silicon (11.9). This improves switching speed and reduces capacitive power loss.
– High melting point: With a melting point of 2700°C, SiC devices can operate in high temperature environments where silicon limits out around 125°C.
Applications of Silicon Carbide
Due to the excellent material properties, silicon carbide is being increasingly employed in applications that demand high power, high temperature and high speed operation. Some major applications are:
Power Electronics
Silicon carbide MOSFETs and diodes are revolutionizing power electronics industry. SiC devices allow building more compact power conversion systems with higher efficiencies. They are now used in power factor correction, motor drives, fast battery charging, solar inverters and more.
Automotive Systems
The capability to operate at very high junction temperatures opens up new system-level solutions in hybrid and electric vehicles. SiC MOSFETs are enabling smaller, lighter and more efficient systems for powertrain, charging and auxiliary loads in EVs.
Aviation and Aerospace
Silicon carbide devices are perfect for both commercial and military aircraft applications due to their high temperature and radiation hardness. They are used in aircraft power distribution, engine control, lighting and avionics systems.
Industrial Heating
SiC devices are replacing silicon in industrial heating equipment used for welding, sealing, heat treating, smelting and other processes. The higher operating temperatures allow more compact and energy efficient designs.
Renewable Energy Systems
Silicon carbide is an ideal choice in solar inverters, wind turbine generators and other renewable energy conversion and storage systems. It improves yield and reduces weight/size of equipment.
Growth of Silicon Carbide Market
According to a report by Report Linker, the global silicon carbide market was valued at $774 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 11.87% during 2020-2025. The major factors fueling the growth are:
– Increasing EV Sales: Rising EV adoption is driving higher demand for SiC in electric powertrain and fast charging systems. Many top EV makers now exclusively use SiC.
– Stringent Efficiency Norms: Stricter energy efficiency standards worldwide are nudging manufacturers to adopt more efficient SiC-based solutions in industries like appliances, lighting, data centers etc.
– New End User Applications: SiC is also gaining ground in telecom base stations, locomotive traction systems, LED lighting, wafer level packaging and MEMS devices.
– Capacity Expansion by Vendors: Leading SiC device vendors like Wolfspeed, STMicroelectronics, Rohm and Infineon are heavily investing in fab expansions to meet the ballooning demand from diverse sectors.
– Government Support: Countries are offering incentives and R&D grants to develop localized SiC manufacturing capabilities to bolster their clean technologies sectors. This will create more opportunities.
In summary, silicon carbide has enormous potential given its unrivaled properties. It is enabling unprecedented system-level innovations. Mass adoption of EVs and renewable energy will further turbocharge the demand for this wonder material. With ongoing technology advancements and cost reductions, SiC is poised to penetrate many new applications and drive the next industrial revolution over the coming decades.
Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
