Barriers to the Adoption of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Electronics

Wide-bandgap power semiconductor devices offer enormous energy efficiency gains in a wide range of potential applications. As silicon-based semiconductors are fast approaching their performance limits for high power requirements, wide-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide with their superior electrical properties are likely candidates to replace silicon in the near future. Along with higher blocking voltages wide-bandgap semiconductors offer breakthrough relative circuit performance enabling low losses, high switching frequencies, and high temperature operation. However, even with the considerable materials advantages, a number of challenges are preventing widespread adoption of power electronics using WBG semiconductors.