Recent advances and applications of power electronics and motor drives - Power semiconductor devices

High voltage silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, as post-silicon devices, have shown their advantages in high voltage applications. SiC insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and thyristors technology becomes attractive for high voltage (15 kV to 25 kV) due to their superior on-state characteristics, fast switching speed, low loss and wide reverse biased safe operating area (RBSOA). The emerging post-silicon power semiconductor technologies, especially new SiC power semiconductors, have great impacts on high power utility. Several application concepts that are original considered impractical become feasible. They will also drive a dramatic change on existing power-electronics based utility applications, especially for flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices. Moreover, they have great impacts on motor drive applications.