Innovative Silicon Increases Output Power of Inverters

Abstract:
We demonstrate how innovative silicon (i-Si) transcends the limits of conventional silicon structures. The potential of i-Si is investigated by comparison to a state-of-art IGBT structure in a 2-level convertor configuration and SiC MOS devices in a 3-level convertor topology for 3 kVDC systems. At high carrier frequencies (≥1.25 kHz), active-NPC (ANPC) architectures with a SiC-MOSFET and a Si-IGBT produce the highest available output current, whereas NPC topologies with a SiC-MOSFET and a SiC-SBD produces the highest power density. However, the i-Si performance reflects a considerably higher (by more than 50%) available output current than silicon solutions and possibly a higher output current than SiC solutions at carrier frequencies below 1.25 kHz (the typical operating condition of existing convertors).