Infineon vertical SiC nominated for Deutscher Zukunftspreis
Infineon Technologies has been nominated for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2024, the Federal President’s Award for Technology and Innovation, for its development of a new type of energy-saving chip based on the innovative semiconductor material SiC.
A team of developers (pictured above) from Infineon, together with Chemnitz University of Technology, has succeeded in developing the world's first SiC MOSFET with a vertical channel (trench MOSFET) and innovative copper contacting in the 3300V voltage class.
Trench MOSFETs differ from so-called planar MOSFETs in their cell structure and performance. While the current flow in planar MOSFETs is initially horizontal, trench MOSFETs offer purely vertical channels. This results in a higher cell density per surface area, which in turn significantly reduces the losses in the chip during energy conversion and therefore increases efficiency.
The CoolSiC XHP2 module family enables significant energy savings in industrial power generation in solar parks or wind turbines, in power transmission and, above all, in end consumption, where high energies in the megawatt range are required.
A single train with a SiC drive system can save around 300 MWh per year compared to the previous silicon-based solution. This is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 100 single-family homes. Together with drive technology manufacturers and rail operators, Infineon is making an important contribution to decarbonization. At the same time, local residents also benefit from the lower noise level of trains with SiC modules when they pass through residential areas.
Through numerous innovative developments in chip processing and design as well as contacting and module technology, the team led by Konrad Schraml, Caspar Leendertz (both Infineon) and Thomas Basler (Chemnitz University of Technology) has brought the 3300V CoolSiC XHP2 high-performance module to production readiness.
With ten times greater reliability against thermomechanical stress and a significantly higher power density compared to silicon modules, the new SiC module can also be used to electrify large drives in diesel locomotives, agricultural and construction machinery, aircraft and ships, which were previously reserved for fossil fuels. The significantly higher switching frequencies permitted by the new module are helpful, as they enable a significant reduction in weight and volume of the power converters in the application.
"This nomination shows that climate change and sustainable resource consumption have become central aspects of our society," said Peter Wawer, Division President Green Industrial Power (GIP) at Infineon. "Innovative energy solutions and power semiconductors are a core component in decarbonization and fighting climate change, as the expert jury of Deutscher Zukunftspreis has recognized. I am proud that we at Infineon can make a significant contribution to a green future with pioneering technology."
Project manager Konrad Schraml: "For us as a development team, it is a matter close to our hearts to develop innovative chips that contribute to efficient energy consumption and thus also to green mobility on our planet. This nomination is a great recognition for my team, whose tireless efforts, expertise and passion for sustainability have made the technology breakthrough in SiC possible."
