AEC-Q101 certified SMD devices combine unmatched thermal stability and easy mounting
Nexperia today announced a range of highly efficient and robust automotive-grade silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs with RDS(on) values of 30, 40, and 60 mΩ. These devices (NSF030120D7A0-Q, NSF040120D7A1-Q, NSF060120D7A0-Q), which offer industry-leading figures of merit (FoM), were previously offered in industrial grade and have now achieved AEC-Q101 certification. This makes them suitable for automotive applications such as on-board chargers (OBCs) and traction inverters in electric vehicles (EVs), as well as for DC-DC converters and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These switches are housed in the increasingly popular D package.2Surface-mount PAK-7, which is more suitable for automated mounting operations than through-hole devices.
RDS(on) is a critical performance parameter for SiC MOSFETs, as it affects conduction losses. However, focusing on the nominal value neglects the fact that it can increase by more than 100% as the device’s operating temperature increases, resulting in a considerable increase in conduction losses. Temperature stability is even more critical when using SMD package technologies compared to through-hole technology, as the devices are cooled through the PCB. Nexperia identified this as a limiting factor in the performance of many SiC devices currently available and leveraged the characteristics of its innovative process technology to ensure that its new SiC MOSFETs offer industry-leading thermal stability, with a nominal value of RDS(on) which increases by only 38% over an operating temperature range of 25°C to 175°C. This feature allows customers to address higher output power in their applications, thanks to an RDS(on) Nexperia's highest rating at 25°C compared to other suppliers, without sacrificing performance.
«This feature enables more power to be obtained from selected Nexperia SiC MOSFET devices compared to R devicesDS(on) "from other suppliers with similar characteristics, which represents a clear cost advantage for customers in terms of semiconductors. Furthermore, the less stringent cooling requirements, more compact passive components, and higher achievable efficiency allow customers greater design freedom and a lower total cost of ownership. We are particularly excited about the availability of these products for the automotive market, where their performance and efficiency advantages can make a real difference in next-generation vehicle designs," said Edoardo Merli, Senior Vice President and Head of the Wide Bandgap, IGBT & Modules (WIM) Business Group.
Nexperia plans to launch automotive-approved versions of its 17 mΩ and 80 mΩ SiC MOSFETs RDS(on) in 2025.
For more information on Nexperia silicon carbide MOSFETs, please visit: www.nexperia.com/sic-mosfets
