SBIR Phase I: Direct Optical Control of High Power Using Silicon Carbide

该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过更好的控制和减少能源消耗来提高电网的安全性和稳定性。由于更快的速度、更短的转换时间和更高的能力，将导致更大的电力系统简化和更低的成本。据估计，2014年全球功率半导体市场总额为160亿美元，到2020年将增至280亿美元。亚洲主导着这个市场。由此产生的高功率、高频率、低成本器件将成为现有功率半导体器件的一个有吸引力的替代品。像这种具有竞争力和颠覆性的技术，以及在更多应用中对更高效的高功率开关设备不断增长的需求，将为美国在这一市场上获得更大份额提供增长和潜力。电力设备制造商将能够为可再生能源开发更小、更轻、更便宜的逆变器，并为并网存储系统和工业电机速度控制开发更简单的拓扑结构。医疗、运输和工业设备的电源可以变得更高效、更小、更便宜。更简单的电力传输开关配置和更快的故障中断，以防止广泛的电力故障也将成为可能。这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目是一项利用碳化硅进行光驱动、高功率开关和控制的可行性研究。大部分材料的控制消除了标准功率器件中存在的半导体控制结。这种方法是基于广泛的政府实验室研究，光入射到特殊掺杂的宽禁带材料上，如SiC，会使材料的大部分变得可控制导电。对这一特性的更深入的理解使一种新颖、高效、经济的器件能够在更高的开关频率下切换高功率。体传导也使比现有半导体器件更大的能力，因为功率流不局限于结处狭窄的空间电荷区域。将选择具有最佳载流子复合特性的掺杂SiC样品，并由发光二极管或二极管激光器驱动，在集成的四端封装中演示在100khz和10a下的15 kV开关。最终目标是演示在1000 kHz下切换30 kV， 20 a，转换速率为10 MV/ìs，占空比大于50%。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is progress towards greater security and stability for the power grid through better control and reduced energy consumption. Because of the greater speed, decreased transition time, and increased capability, greater power systems simplification and reduced costs will result. The total world market for power semiconductors is estimated to be $16 billion in 2014 rising to $28 billion by 2020. Asia dominates this market. The expected high power, high frequency, low cost device from this effort will be an attractive alternative to existing power semiconductor devices. A competitive and disruptive technology such as this device, and a growing demand for more efficient high-power switching devices in more applications will provide growth and potential for the US to gain a greater share in this market. Power equipment manufacturers will be able to develop smaller, lighter and less expensive inverters for renewable energy and simpler topologies for grid-tied storage systems and industrial motor speed control. Power supplies for medical, transportation and industrial equipment can be made more efficient, smaller and less expensive. Simpler switching configurations for power transmission and faster fault interruption to prevent widespread power failures will also be possible.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is a feasibility study of optically driven, high power switching and control using silicon carbide. Control in the bulk of the material eliminates the semiconductor control junction that exists in standard power devices. This approach is based on extensive government laboratory research that light incident on specially doped wide bandgap materials such as SiC causes the bulk of the material to become controllably conductive. A deeper understanding of this characteristic enables a novel, highly efficient, cost effective device, capable of switching high power at much higher switching frequencies. Bulk conduction also enables greater capability than in existing semiconductor devices as power flow is not limited to the narrow space charge region at the junction. Samples of doped SiC will be selected for optimal carrier recombination characteristics and will be driven by light emitting diodes or diode lasers to demonstrate 15 kV switching at 100 kHz and eventually 10 A in an integrated four terminal package. The eventual goal is a demonstration of switching 30 kV, 20 A, at 1000 kHz, with a transition rate of 10 MV/ìs, and duty cycle greater than 50%.