Power Electronics ♦ news digest
the specific production processes and used materials, for example, crystalline silicon solar cells and CIGS thin-film modules.
The CIGS thin-film solar technology utilizes large glass substrates as the basic substrate material, on which a very thin photo-active layer with a thickness of approx. 1.5 to 2.5 µm is applied. This absorber layer consists of a compound semiconductor including the elements copper, gallium and indium with selenium and sulphur in a so- called chalkcpyrite structure.
In contrast to monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar cells, thin-film modules only marginally lose performance amid low light or very high temperatures. This results in the fact that thin-film solar cells produce electricity earlier in the morning hours and later in the evening hours. Furthermore, thin-film solar modules can be used as a design feature for the front or the roof of buildings due to its homogenous surface and better visual appearance.
Singulus Technologies focuses on the market of CIGS solar cells with photoactive layers made of compound semiconductors. These thin-film cells have achieved laboratory efficiency levels of around 20 percent so far. The efficiency of modules is in a range from 13 percent to 15 percent, depending on the module size.
Power Electronics
Cree releases power SiC Schottky diodes
The firm says its CPW5 Z-Rec diodes extend benefits of silicon carbide into Megawatt power systems market, improving efficiency and reducing costs
Cree has launched its new CPW5 Z-Rec high-power SiC Schottky diodes.
The firm says this is the industry’s first commercially available family of 50 Amp SiC rectifiers.
Designed to deliver the cost reduction, high efficiency, system simplicity and improved reliability of SiC technology to high power systems these diodes have been designed to address demanding applications.
These include solar / PV inverters, industrial power supplies, induction heating, battery charging stations,
March 2014
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wind turbine converters and traction inverters and work from 50kW to over 1MW;
Developed to facilitate the direct matching of 50 Amp diodes to 50 Amp MOSFETs or IGBTs, Cree(R) CPW5 Schottky diodes reduce system complexity and cost by enabling the replacement of multiple low-voltage, low- current SiC Schottky diodes, or silicon PiN diodes, with a single CPW5 rectifier.
Additional cost savings can be achieved through reduced maximum voltage ratings and the elimination of snubber circuitry due to the diminished voltage overshoot during switching in SiC.
“Cree’s CPW5 family of SiC Schottky diodes are a critical component in our high performance power modules and power electronic systems,” says Ty McNutt, director of business development, APEI, Inc. “The low forward voltage drop, fast switching speed and extended temperature capability allow us to push power density and efficiency across many applications, such as high power motor drives and solar inverters.”
Cree CPW5 diodes enable a new generation of high- current Si/SiC IGBT modules. Hybrid Si/SiC IGBT modules can deliver up to a 43 percent reduction in switching losses over conventional modules, while also reducing voltage- and current-overshoot, switching dead time and cooling requirements.
As an added benefit, design engineers can use the same gate driver design and circuits used with conventional modules, allowing easy and immediate implementation. Cree CPW5 diodes also provide a peak forward surge resistance greater than 500 Amps repetitive and 2000 Amps non-repetitive, delivering increased reliability under the harshest electrical conditions.
“As the sole distributor of Cree SiC-based power products in wafer and die form, SemiDice is excited to offer the CPW5 family of Z-Rec Schottky diodes,” says Dan Cormack, CEO of SemiDice, Inc. “We are seeing increased customer demand for 50 Amp Schottky diodes and we know that as a global leader in the manufacture of advanced SiC diodes, Cree will deliver the quality and performance that our customers expect to help them minimise system cost and size.”
The CPW5 family of Z-Rec Schottky diodes includes 1700V/50A, 1200V/50A, 650V/50A and 650V/30A combinations.
The CPW5 diodes are available immediately in bare die form from SemiDice.
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