New generation 6.5 kV SiC power MOSFET

Following the recent advances in the production of 3.3 kV and 10 kV SiC power MOSFETs, Wolfspeed launched an effort to develop a new generation 6.5 kV SiC power MOSFET to fill the medium-to high-voltage fast switching device void in applications such as rail traction and medium-voltage motor drives. The characteristics of the new generation 6.5 kV SiC power MOSFET rated at a drain current of 30 A, are presented for the first time. The device shows a typical R
_{DS, on}
<; 90 mΩ and V
_th
of 3.6 V (at I
_D
=1 mA) measured at room temperature. Our 6.5 kV SiC power MOSFET includes a useable body diode with low V
_f
and reverse-recovery charge at operating temperature. The use of the body diode as a freewheeling device is demonstrated, eliminating the need for an external anti-parallel freewheeling SiC JBS diode, hence, reducing size and cost of a system. The effects of changing the 6.5 kV SiC power MOSFET gate runner design on the internal on-chip gate resistance and the MOSFET switching capability are presented.