IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - June 2023 - 82

Major factors contributing to this success include development
of robust high current (>100 A) 650 V GaN FET die,
development of GaN module, ability to drive 4 dies in parallel
with equal current sharing, and generating smooth
waveform at needed current and obtaining low voltage
overshoots on the gate and on the drain.
The fifth speaker of the session was Victor Veliadis,
executive director and CTO, PowerAmerica, USA. In his
talk " Silicon Carbide Mass Commercialization and Future
Trends, " Veliadis first noted that Si devices are currently
dominating the power electronics arena due to their excellent
starting material quality, streamlined fabrication,
low-cost volume production, proven reliability and ruggedness,
and design/circuit legacy. Although, he added,
Si power devices will continue to make progress, they
are approaching their operational
limits primarily due
to their relatively low bandgap and critical electric field
that result in high conduction and switching losses, and
poor high temperature performance. On the other hand,
he continued, SiC power devices offer compelling system
benefits including high efficiency, high voltage/temperature
operation, and low weight and volume. According to
the talk, SiC is key in addressing environmental concerns
and is gaining significant market share boosted by volume
insertion in EVs (Figure 6). " Vehicle electrification
is the mass commercialization opportunity for SiC power
electronics, " asserted Veliadis.
Also, his presentation indicated that the 400 V-800
V vehicle battery transition leverages the competitive
advantages of 1200 V SiC power devices. Key benefits
include longer range (higher efficiency), faster charging,
and cost reduction. For market projection, the
speaker suggested that SiC is projected to reach $6.3 B
by 2027, representing >20% of the power device market.
These numbers were based on data provided by market
and technology analyst Yole Développement. Additionally,
Veliadis presentation also identified key barriers
to overcome for SiC commercialization, which include
high device cost, defects and scalability of device area,
reliability/ruggedness concerns, and the need for workforce
training.
FIG 4 A three-phase GaN based inverter reference design. Source: VisIC
Technologies.
Speaking of workforce training, the last topic of the session
was " Developing the Power Electronics Workforce Through
MOOC Degree Programs and Public Educational Videos, "
presented by Robert W. Erickson, professor in the Department
of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University
of Colorado Boulder, USA, and Katherine A. Kim,
associate professor of Electrical Engineering at National
Taiwan University, Taiwan. According to the speakers,
online education has opened the doors to broader accessibility
of power electronics education. The keynoters discussed
a massively
open online course
(MOOC) degree program
and other public
educational videos
developed for power
electronics workforce,
including
survey
results, successes, and
challenges.
RAP Sessions
Three
high-energy
FIG 5 Wave forms of phase voltage and currents of inverter output. Source: VisIC Technologies
82 IEEE POWER ELECTRONICS MAGAZINE z June 2023
industry topics were
debated by experts in
an environment of contention.
Professionals,
researchers and engineers
from both sides,
pros and cons, debated

IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - June 2023

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