17 October 2011

Cree adds TO-252 D-Pak packaged Z-Rec SiC Schottkys in 2A, 5A, 8A and 10A ratings

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA says that the latest addition to its 1200V silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diode range includes four new surface-mount devices in 2A, 5A, 8A, and 10A current ratings (the C4D02120E, C4D05120E, C4D08120E and C4D10120E series, respectively) in industry-standard surface-mount TO-252 D-Pak packages.

Cree claims to be the first manufacturer to offer this comprehensive range of current ratings for commercially available 1200V SiC Schottky diodes in the surface-mount D-Pak package. Designers of systems, such as solar micro-inverters, now have more options to develop smaller, lighter and less costly power conversion circuits, the firm adds. The new surface-mount devices deliver the same performance as Cree's TO-220 Schottky diodes, but with a smaller PCB footprint and lower profile. The operating junction temperature for all C4DXX120E devices is rated for –55°C to +175°C.

“These new surface-mount devices provide all the proven benefits of SiC Schottky diodes — zero reverse recovery losses, temperature-independent switching, higher-frequency operation with low EMI, and significantly higher surge and avalanche capability — with a smaller footprint and a lower board-mounted profile,” says Cengiz Balkas, Cree’s VP & general manager, Power and RF. “The new 2A device is ideally suited for lower-power applications, allowing them to benefit from the advantages of SiC while providing the best performance and cost option. With the addition of the 8A and 10A devices, the same space and cost savings can be extended to higher-power applications,” he adds.

“There are significant design advantages to implementing SiC power devices in high-efficiency power electronics systems, including the ability to achieve higher current and voltage ratings with fewer components,” says Balkas. “By reducing the component count, designers can achieve lower overall system costs with increased reliability and maximum efficiency,” he adds. “When used in conjunction with Cree's new series of 1200V SiC Power MOSFETs in an all-SiC design, these Schottky diodes make it possible to achieve high-efficiency power electronics systems with switching frequencies that are 5–8x higher when compared to conventional silicon solutions,” Balkas continues. “The higher switching frequencies enable smaller magnetic and capacitive elements, thereby shrinking system size, weight and cost.”

The C4DXX120E surface-mount Schottky diodes are fully qualified and released for production use.

Tags: Cree SiC Schottkys

Visit: www.cree.com/power