SiC power devices could transform industry

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Photo: VariousPhotography/Pixabay

A research collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland China has led to the development of new silicon carbide (SiC) power devices that reduce leakage current by 30-fold.

The project, involving Hong Kong’s academic sector and Mainland industry, aims to enhance energy efficiency in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy systems, where reducing power losses is critical.

Efficiency gains in SiC power devices

Collaborating with Alpha Power Solutions (APS), Francis Chi Chung Ling from Hong Kong University’s research team developed a fabrication process that reduces leakage current in SiC diodes—a key factor contributing to energy loss. The team’s approach involved refining aluminium implantation and annealing processes to reduce carbon vacancy defects, which negatively affected device performance.

Alpha Power Solutions (APS), the Mainland industrial partner, has already integrated this process into its production lines, manufacturing more than 20m SiC diodes. The production represents a market value of more than HKD 300m, demonstrating the scalability and economic viability of the new technology.

Economic and environmental impacts

The newly developed SiC devices offer improvements in energy efficiency for industries that depend on high-power electronics, such as electric vehicles and power grids. The devices will lower energy losses by reducing leakage current, resulting in cost savings and better performance in power-intensive systems.

The technology will reduce emissions through energy savings, particularly in sectors like renewable energy, where efficiency gains are essential.

Industry feedback

Alpha Power Solutions noted the successful integration of the new SiC technology into its production processes. With more than 20m SiC devices manufactured using the updated process, APS highlighted the impact on improving production efficiency and expressed optimism about further technological advancements.

The project builds on extensive research and international collaboration, including partnerships with institutions like the University of Oslo in Norway. The findings from these studies provided the scientific foundation for the new manufacturing process.

Further developments in SiC technology

The research is part of the Guangdong Province’s Key-Area Research and Development Program, with a budget of RMB 56m ($7.9m). The project addressed manufacturing challenges, such as reducing carbon vacancy defects impacting SiC device performance.

Moving forward, the research team will focus on enhancing SiC epi wafers and MOSFET devices in modern power electronics systems. Collaborations with institutions such as the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory in Dongguan and Huairou National Laboratory in Beijing will further explore advancements in SiC technology to improve device efficiency and reliability in various industrial applications.

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Jim Cornall is editor of Deeptech Digest and publisher at Ayr Coastal Media. He is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, broadcaster, designer and author. Contact Jim here.