4. SiC power switches

Silicon has long been the dominant material for high-voltage power applications. Significant developments in the "SiC technology chain" - the quality of the base material on the one hand, and manufacturing technology on the other - have made it possible to manufacture a wide range of components. Three types of component can be distinguished: rectifiers, unipolar components and bipolar components. Unipolar components are set to replace bipolar components for voltage ranges between 600 V and 3 kV, and power switches for voltages above 1,000 V. The various publications on the devices produced are the best demonstrators of the progress of SiC technology. Numerous laboratories are presenting electrical characterization results demonstrating the potential of silicon carbide to operate at high voltages