The first products developed by Littelfuse's new platform are 1200V silicon carbide Schottky diodes with lower switching losses and higher efficiency

     Littelfuse has announced the launch of the first GEN2 series 1200V silicon Carbide (SiC) Schottky diode to coincide with the opening of the 2017 European Power Conversion and Intelligence Movement (PCIM) show. This silicon carbide diode is the first in a family of products developed through Littelfuse and Monolith Semiconductor's collaborative technology platform. Other silicon carbide products based on this technology platform, including 1200V silicon carbide gold-oxygen half-effect transistors, are in the pipeline and expected to be launched in the near future.

     The GEN2 silicon carbide Schottky diode is rated at 1200V and operates at currents ranging from 5 A TO 10 A in TO-220-2L or TO-252-2L packages. Compared to standard silicon bipolar power diodes, these diodes allow circuit designers to significantly reduce switching losses and significantly improve the efficiency and durability of power electronic systems. It can withstand strong inrush currents without thermal escape and can operate at higher junction temperatures than silicon diodes. It also offers best-in-class storage capacitance charge and forward voltage drop.

     Typical applications for GEN2 series silicon carbide Schottky diodes include power factor correction (PFC), the step-down/boost phase of DC-DC converters, continuous current diodes at the inverter level (switch-mode power supplies, solar, UPS, industrial drivers), and high-frequency output rectification where efficiency, reliability, and thermal management need to be improved. This diode is particularly useful for designers and manufacturers of industrial power supplies, solar inverters, industrial drives, welding and plasma cutting equipment, and EV/HEV charging stations.

     "The hybrid p-n Schottky (MPS) structure of this new silicon carbide Schottky diode can provide circuit designers with stronger surge performance as well as extremely low leakage current." "Compared to traditional silicon power diodes, this silicon carbide Schottky diode improves converter efficiency and power density while helping to reduce system-level costs," said Michael Ketterer, product marketing manager for power semiconductors at Littelfuse.