Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum is a chemical compound containing equal parts silicon and carbon.

In solid form, it occurs as extremely hard iridescent crystals. This hardness makes it the ideal material to be used in high-impact applications such as in body armor and as an abrasive for sandpaper.

Other beneficial properties of Silicon Carbide are good thermal & electrical conductivity, and low expansion coefficient, which makes it ideal for making components to be used in the automotive and electronics industries, among others.

In electronics specifically, Silicon Carbide has a special advantage over traditional silicon — a wide band gap. This feature is what allows transistors made from Silicon Carbide to operate at high frequencies, voltages, and temperatures without breaking down. In fact, Silicon Carbide electrical components can function at up to ten times higher temperatures, ten times higher voltage, and up to five times higher switching frequency than traditional silicon parts.

Silicon Carbide also has excellent heat conduction properties — 3 times better than traditional silicon. This property makes it easy for Silicon Carbide parts to conduct and dissipate heat away from other machine components:

– 175°C is the general temperature limit for components made from traditional silicon.
– Silicon Carbide components can withstand temperatures of 300°C+.

Silicon Carbide also has the ability to withstand high voltage, due to its wide band gap. Its critical electric field limit before the avalanche effect occurs is 8 to 10 times higher than that of traditional silicon. Silicon Carbide devices can, therefore, handle voltage many times higher than devices made of traditional silicon.

   

Industry-Specific Benefits of SiC

In the field of electric vehicle (EV) power electronics, Silicon Carbide is the material of choice to boost the electrical range of EVs while reducing battery weight.

As opposed to traditional silicon parts, Silicon Carbide power electronics parts can withstand high temperatures without the need for external cooling systems, making for a lighter overall system.

In solar energy applications, Silicon Carbide solar inverters have been shown to reduce costs by 20% when compared to silicon-based competitors.

While the cost of Silicon Carbide remains higher than that of regular silicon, the good news is that the price of Silicon Carbide components is going down — from 2013 to 2020, Silicon Carbide inverters dropped from $700 per unit to about $450 per unit, a decrease of 35%.

At Applied Ceramics, our team of designers, technicians, and customer care staff all work in tandem to ensure you get the perfect components for your desired application, at the right cost.

Contact us today to speak to one of our ceramic experts who will guide you on how we can work together to design and deliver the Silicon Carbide parts you need, to your desired specifications.