News: Microelectronics
20 July 2021
ROHM launches hybrid IGBTs with built-in 650V SiC diode
Power semiconductor maker ROHM has developed the RGWxx65C series of hybrid insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) with an integrated 650V silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky barrier diode (SBD). After making samples available in March, mass production is scheduled for December.
Qualified under the AEC-Q101 automotive reliability standard, the RGW60TS65CHR, RGW80TS65CHR and RGW00TS65CHR are suitable for automotive and industrial applications that handle large power, such as photovoltaic power conditioners, onboard chargers, and DC/DC converters used in electric and electrified vehicles (xEV).
Graphic: Hybrid IGBT product lineup [RGWxx65C Series].
The RGWxx65C series utilizes ROHM’s low-loss SiC Schottky barrier diodes in the IGBT’s feedback block as a freewheeling diode that has almost no recovery energy and thus minimal diode switching loss. Additionally, since the recovery current does not have to be handled by the IGBT in turn-on mode, the IGBT turn-on loss is reduced significantly. Both effects together result in up to 67% lower loss over conventional IGBTs and 24% lower loss compared with super-junction MOSFETs (SJ MOSFETs) when used in vehicle chargers, it is reckoned. This effect provides good cost performance while contributing to lower power consumption in industrial and automotive applications, the firm adds.
In recent years, global efforts to reduce environmental burden and achieve a carbon-neutral and decarbonized society have spurred the proliferation of electrified vehicles (xEV), notes ROHM. At the same time, the diversification of power semiconductors used in various vehicle inverter and converter circuits necessary to configure more efficient systems is currently underway, along with the technological innovation of both ultra-low-loss SiC power devices (i.e. SiC MOSFETs, SiC SBDs) and conventional silicon power devices (e.g. IGBTs, super-junction MOSFETs).
ROHM says that, to provide effective power solutions for a wide range of applications, it is focusing not only on product and technology development for SiC power devices but for silicon products and driver ICs as well.
In addition to the new hybrid IGBTs, ROHM also offers products utilizing silicon fast recovery diodes (FRDs) as the freewheeling diode as well as products without a freewheeling diode.
