Automotive-qualified 1200V SiC MOSFETs in D2PAK-7 packaging launched

Nexperia has announced a range of highly efficient and robust automotive-qualified SiC MOSFETs with RDS(on) values of 30, 40 and 60mΩ. These devices (NSF030120D7A0-Q, NSF040120D7A1-Q, NSF060120D7A0-Q), which provide industry-leading FoM, were previously offered in industrial grade and have now been awarded AEC-Q101 certification. This suits them for automotive applications like OBC, traction inverters in EV and DC-DC converters, and HVAC. These switches are housed in the increasingly popular surface-mounted D2PAK-7 package, which is more appropriate for automated assembly operations than through-hole devices.

RDS(on) is a critical performance parameter for SiC MOSFETs as it impacts conduction losses. However, concentrating on the nominal value ignores the fact that it can increase by over 100% as device operating temperatures rise, resulting in a considerable rise of conduction losses. Temperature stability is even more critical when SMD package technologies are employed than through-hole technology, since devices are cooled through the PCB. The company identified this as a limiting factor in the performance of many currently available SiC devices and employed the features of its innovative process technology to ensure that its new SiC MOSFETs deliver industry-leading temperature stability, with the nominal value of RDS(on) increasing by only 38% over an operating temperature range from 25C to 175C. This feature allows customers to address higher output power in their applications achieved with a higher nominal 25C rated RDS(on) from the company compared to other vendors without sacrificing performance.

“This feature allows to get more power out of the selected Nexperia SiC MOSFET devices compared to similarly rated RDS(on) devices from other vendors, delivering a clear cost advantage for customers on semiconductor level. Additionally, relaxed cooling requirements, more compact passive components, and higher achievable efficiency allow customers more degrees of freedom in their design and lower total cost of ownership. We’re especially excited that these products are now available for the automotive market, where their performance and efficiency benefits can make a real difference in next-generation vehicle designs”, says Edoardo Merli, SVP and head of Business Group Wide Bandgap, IGBT and Modules (WIM).

The company is planning to release automotive-qualified versions of its 17mΩ and 80mΩ RDS(on) SiC MOSFETs in 2025.