GaN, SiC Semis Plus Improved Circuit Designs Fuel Power Converters (Download)
Designers of EV battery charging stations, inverters, and other power converters are beginning to take advantage of the newer wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) in addition to new circuit designs such as the active neutral center clamp (ANPC). They’re helping to boost efficiencies and create smaller size products.
SiC and GaN MOSFETs provide the fast switching at higher voltages and current levels. IGBTs also are widely used at the higher voltage and current levels. Newer designs like ANPC permit the modularity that allow converters to be stacked to provide the desired output power. Besides EV battery chargers, other applications like solar inverters can benefit by adopting these new methods.