uhp electrodes

uhp electrodes, a new opportunity for the development of the semiconductor industry

Silicon carbide material is the main development direction of the power semiconductor industry. It is used to make power devices and can significantly improve the utilization rate of electric energy. In the foreseeable future, new energy vehicles are the main application scenarios of uhp electrodes power devices. As a technological pioneer, Tesla has taken the lead in integrating all-silicon carbide modules in Model 3, and other first-tier car companies are also planning to expand the application of uhp electrodes.

With the gradual reduction of the manufacturing cost of UHP electrodes in Datong and the gradual maturity of process technology, the future of the silicon carbide power device industry can be expected. Industry introduction and market status: uhp electrodes semiconductor has outstanding technical advantages, and the current penetration rate is still low. Power semiconductors (also known as power electronic devices) are used for electric energy conversion and control current control. They are key components of power electronic systems and are used in power transmission and transformation and power consumption scenarios such as power supply, motor control, renewable energy, power transmission, and power traction. . In 2019, the global power device market was about 40 billion U.S. dollars, with an average compound growth rate of 5.1% in the past five years. Among them, China is the market, accounting for nearly 40%.

Data source: IHS Markit The semiconductor materials used in power devices are divided into three generations: The first-generation semiconductor materials are simple materials such as silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge). Due to the mature technology and low production cost, silicon occupies more than 95% of semiconductor devices and is the main body of today’s semiconductor materials; the second-generation semiconductor materials are compound materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs). Gallium arsenide semiconductor has the advantages of high electron mobility, wider band gap than silicon, high withstand voltage, high frequency, etc., but it also has disadvantages such as weak mechanical strength, easy decomposition at high temperatures, slow growth speed, and high price. It is currently mainly used In the field of optoelectronics such as LED; The third-generation semiconductor materials are silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN) and other wide band gap materials. Improving energy efficiency (reducing energy consumption and loss) is the main direction of power semiconductor technology progress.

The ideal goal is that the power semiconductor has no power consumption in the on state and no leakage current in the off state. Today, according to the IEA report, the world’s electrical energy consumption accounts for 20% of the total electrical energy, which is a waste in terms of economic benefits and environmental protection. However, for power semiconductor devices made of traditional silicon materials, the power conversion efficiency has reached the theoretical limit. The third generation of semiconductor materials, represented by uhp electrodes and gallium nitride, was born and has become the evolution direction of the next generation of power semiconductor technology. According to China’s third-generation semiconductor industry technology innovation strategic alliance, the performance advantages of third-generation semiconductor materials include: high electronic drift speed, can reduce power conversion power consumption, improve energy utilization efficiency; high band gap width, large critical breakdown voltage, Reduce the number of components required by the system under high-pressure operating conditions, promote the miniaturization and light weight of the system; high thermal conductivity, reduce the required cooling system.

Data source: The Third Generation Semiconductor Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance “The Third Generation Semiconductor Power Electronics Technology Roadmap” Compared with gallium nitride, silicon carbide is more suitable for applications in power systems above 1,000V, including electric vehicles and charging piles , New energy power generation devices, high-speed rail power traction and other medium and high voltage scenarios. When the technology of using silicon substrates for gallium nitride devices is mature, it has a more cost advantage than uhp electrodes using homogeneous substrates. In the future, in the low-voltage scene, uhp electrodes will compete with devices made of gallium nitride materials.