Testing, characterization, and modeling of SiC diodes for transportation applications

The emergence of silicon carbide- (SiC-) based power semiconductor switches, with their superior features compared with silicon- (Si-) based switches, has resulted in substantial improvement in the performance of power electronics converter systems. These systems with SiC power devices have the qualities of being more compact, lighter and more efficient; thus, they are ideal for high-voltage power electronics applications such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) traction drive. More research is required to show the impact of SiC devices in power conversion systems. In this study, findings of SiC research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), including SiC device design and system modeling studies, are discussed.