silicon carbide (sic) chips have become popular options for engineers in automotive, industrial, and energy companies because of their improved switching performance and the related increase in efficiency that those products demonstrate as a result, according to a recent article on allaboutcircuits.com.

silicon carbide. (wikimedia commons)

a report by yole developpement that was published in october, ‘power sic 2016: materials, devices, modules, and applications’, indicated that the market for sic chips and transistors will grow to more than $550 million by 2021. despite numerous challenges including more cost on research and development, many companies are transitioning to devices using sic components.

sic diodes are being used frequently by pfc power suppliers because sic semiconductor material has higher electron mobility and thus can withstand higher temperatures. the diodes and transistors can also operate under higher temperatures while offering higher frequencies. the size and weight requirements has made them important in the creation of electric vehicles because they reduce the need for heat sinks and cooling devices.

many of these products are new to the market, so there is still a cost challenge facing companies that make the switch, but there is potential for the sic market to break open in the coming year with even more sic presence in power electronics of all types.

read the full article at http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/sic-chips-kickstart-a-new-era-in-power-electronics.

for more on the yole analysis, read http://www.i-micronews.com/compound-semi-expertise/8113-yole-analysis-the-sic-power-electronics-market-will-reach-an-inflection-point-in-2017-but-growth-brings-supply-chain-worries.html.