6 February 2012

Cree releases SPICE Model for SiC Power MOSFET

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has expanded its design-in support for what it claims is the industry’s first commercially available silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET power devices with a fully qualified SPICE model.

The firm says that, using the new SPICE model, circuit designers can easily evaluate the benefits that its SiC Z-FET MOSFETs provide for achieving a higher level of efficiency than is possible with comparably rated conventional silicon power switching devices.

Cree says that, since SiC MOSFETs have significantly different characteristics than silicon devices, they require a SiC-specific model for accurate circuit simulations. Its behavior-based, temperature-dependent SPICE model is compatible with the LT spice simulation program and enables power electronics design engineers to reliably simulate the advanced switching performance of Cree’s CMF10120D and CMF20120D Z-FETs in board-level circuit designs, the firm adds.

Cree claims that its SiC MOSFETs are capable of delivering switching frequencies that are up to 10 times higher than silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based solutions. Their higher switching frequencies can enable smaller magnetic and capacitive elements, shrinking the overall size, weight and cost of power electronics systems.

The SiC MOSFET SPICE model adds to Cree’s suite of design-in support tools, technical documentation and reliability information to provide power electronics engineers with the design resources necessary to implement SiC power devices into the next generation of power systems.

The SiC MOSFET SPICE model is available for download, while customers can also download published specifications and detailed design guidelines as well as request samples.

Tags: Cree SPICE Model SiC MOSFET

Visit: www.cree.com/power/mosfet.asp