Title :
Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Technology: Its impact on the electrification of the transportation industry.
Author :
Shamsi, Pourya ; McDonough, Matthew ; Fahimi, B.
Author_Institution :
Missouri Univ. of Sci. & Technol., Rolla, MO, USA
Abstract :
The efficiency of any electric vehicle (EV) is limited by the efficiency of its power electronic motor drive. Currently, EVs use conventional silicon (Si) insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or Si metal?oxide?semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) technologies. Si technology prevents traction motor drives from exceeding the low switching frequencies (tens of kilohertz) due to excessive switching losses. This is important as the size of passive components (and thus cost) is inversely related to the switching frequency.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; electric vehicles; gallium compounds; silicon compounds; traction motor drives; wide band gap semiconductors; EV; GaN; IGBT; MOSFET technology; SiC; electric vehicle; electrification; gallium nitride; low switching frequency; metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor technology; passive component; power electronic motor drive; silicon carbide; silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistor; switching loss; traction motor drives prevention; transportation industry; wide-bandgap semiconductor technology; Electric vehicles; Gallium nitride; Logic gates; MOSFET; Motor drives; Silicon carbide; Transportation;
Journal_Title :
Electrification Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MELE.2013.2293931
