Renesas Electronics low-loss silicon carbide diode.

The new SiC Schottky barrier diode is ideal for use in high-output electronic systems such as air conditioners, communication base stations, and solar power arrays. The new device also incorporates technology developed jointly by Hitachi, Ltd., and Renesas Electronics, which contributed to achieving approximately 40 percent reduced low power consumption compared to Renesas Electronics' existing power devices employing conventional silicon (Si).

Recently, demand has grown for more highly efficient power supply circuits in many types of systems to promote environmental preservation. There is particularly strong demand for more efficient power conversion in products using power switching circuits or inverter circuits enabling precise motor control, such as air conditioners, communication base stations, PC servers, and solar power arrays. Therefore, the diodes used in these power converter circuits need to provide faster switching speeds and low-voltage operation. Renesas Electronics developed the new SiC SBD to address these demands.

Faster switching speed for 40 percent lower loss than existing products:
The new RJS6005TDPP SiC SBD has a reverse recovery time of 15 nanoseconds (standard value: measuring conditions IF = 15 A, di/dt = 300 A/µs), approximately 40 percent faster than that of existing Renesas Electronics products employing silicon. This enables a faster switching speed and reduces power loss by approximately 40 percent compared with Renesas Electronics' Si-based products.

In addition, the reverse recovery time does not degrade when the temperature rises, enabling consistently low switching loss when operating in high-temperature environments.

Low-voltage operation:
The new SiC-SBD has a voltage rating (forward voltage, VF) of only 1.5 volts (V), lower than that of existing Si fast trigger diode products. In addition, the temperature dependency of this characteristic is small, ensuring that a stable forward voltage can be obtained even under high-temperature conditions. This means that more compact heat dispersion measures can be used.

The new RJS6005TDPP SiC-SBD uses a package equivalent to the industry-standard fully-molded TO-220, with which it is also pin compatible. This means that the RJS6005TDPP SiC SBD can easily be used as a replacement for conventional silicon diodes on existing printed wiring boards.

Renesas Electronics has a lineup of 3 ampere (A) to 30 A, voltage tolerance 600 V, power devices designed to meet the need for better energy efficiency in high-output systems such as air conditioners, communication base stations, and solar power arrays, and plans call for the introduction of a series with a voltage tolerance of 1,200 V. Renesas Electronics aims to provide customers with total solutions combining MCUs and Analog & Power devices, and also to become the leading power device supplier. The company plans to enhance its kit solutions and compound semiconductor devices, with the new high-voltage SiC-SBD power devices at the core, supplemented by peripheral power supply control ICs, high-performance IGBTs, high-voltage super-junction MOSFETs, and photocouplers.

Pricing and Availability:
Samples of Renesas' new RJS6005TDPP SiC SBD is available now, priced at US$5 per unit. Mass production is scheduled to begin in March 2012 and is expected to reach a volume of 100,000 units per month with August 2012. (Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.)