Ordinary silicon diodes used in switched-mode power supplies lose up to 1% efficiency by not turning off immediately, but now STMicroelectronics is among the first companies to introduce silicon carbide (SiC) diodes that save this energy normally lost during switching.
The STPSC806D and STPSC1006D SiC Schottky diodes are especially useful in converters for solar power systems, where every fractional efficiency percentage is valuable. Power supplies for servers and telecom systems, which are operational round the clock, will also benefit from the cumulative savings of this apparently small improvement in efficiency. These diodes can also be used in motor controllers, which are deployed in large numbers worldwide, thereby saving the environmental impact of many thousands of Watts of generated energy.
Moreover, by saving the energy normally dissipated as heat by the silicon diode, the new SiC technology enables engineers to consider a lower maximum current rating for the diode. This allows smaller components to be used without sacrificing usable power. In high-power applications where heatsinks are normally used, these can also be made smaller leading to more compact power supplies delivering higher power density.
A further benefit for switched-mode power supply designers is that SiC diodes allow higher switching frequencies, which enable other components such as filtering capacitors and inductors to become smaller and less expensive, and consume less power.
SiC technology is able to deliver these benefits because no reverse recovery charge accumulates during the diode’s normal conduction period. When a conventional bipolar silicon diode is turned off, this charge must be dispelled by recombination between groups of charge carriers close to the diode junction. The current flowing during this recombination period is called the reverse recovery current. This undesired current, when combined with the voltage across associated semiconductor power switches, generates heat that will be dissipated by the switches. By eliminating this reverse recovery charge, SiC Schottky diodes have much lower switching losses across the board, leading to higher efficiency and lower heat dissipation.
The 8 A rated STPSC806D and 10 A STPSC1006D, for 600 V applications, are available in the TO-220AC package.
High-precision current transducer
Power Electronics / Power Management
Danisense announces its new high-precision DP12IP current transducer designed for isolated DC and AC current measurement in demanding PCB-mounted power electronics applications.
Read more...Secure holder for protected 18650 batteries
Power Electronics / Power Management
Designed for protected 18650 batteries up to 70 mm long, the holder offers secure retention for portable, industrial, and embedded applications.
Read more...More room to scale Altron Arrow
Power Electronics / Power Management
With the latest STM32H5 lines from STMicroelectronics, you can now scale within the same platform, from a compact 1 Mbyte device to higher-memory MCUs for graphics-rich and feature-heavy designs.
Read more...Multi-constellation GNSS module in a legacy-compatible footprint Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Telit Cinterion has announced the SE869eK2L, a single-frequency L1 GNSS module designed to help device manufacturers upgrade legacy positioning designs with improved performance and cost efficiency, while preserving design continuity.
Read more...Compact SSI family for industrial automation Altron Arrow
Passive Components
Infineon Technologies has introduced the ISSI20BxxF Solid State Isolator (SSI) family, bringing solid-state isolation technology into high-volume applications traditionally served by photovoltaic isolators (PVIs), photovoltaic relays (PVRs), and electromechanical relays (EMRs).
Read more...Rev 2.0 PolarFire FPGA ethernet sensor bridge Altron Arrow
Computer/Embedded Technology
Smaller, multi-camera platform enables scalable Ethernet architectures for NVIDIA Edge AI systems, while lowering power, cost and integration complexity.
Read more...Surface mount power amplifier for high-power applications RF Design
Power Electronics / Power Management
The GNA-63-5W+, from Mini-Circuits, is a GaN MMIC Power Amplifier (PA) designed for demanding RF applications requiring high efficiency, excellent linearity, and a compact footprint.
Read more...1200 V QSiC modules
Power Electronics / Power Management
SemiQ Inc has launched the QSiC Dual3, a family of 1200 V half-bridge MOSFET modules for motor drives in data centre cooling systems, grid converters in energy storage systems, and industrial drivers.
Read more...Universal IR receiver module Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Vishay Intertechnology has introduced a new series of infrared (IR) receiver modules for IR remote control applications, which feature a wide modulation frequency acceptance from 30 kHz to 68 kHz.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version