FETs for Industrial and Automotive Applications Dot the PCIM Showfloor

This year at PCIM Europe, three new field-effect transistors (FET) from Infineon, Qorvo, and EPC were presented, showcasing the latest innovations to enhance power efficiency, reliability, and compactness for various industrial applications. 

 

EETech's director of engineering and content, Dale Wilson (left), and global sales director, David Blaza, represented All About Circuits at PCIM Europe. 

 

Infineon's MOSFETs to Accelerate Auto Advances

Infineon has announced its two latest families of MOSFETs, the 600-V CoolMOS S7TA and 600-V CoolMOS 8 SJ. Infineon based its 600-V CoolMOS S7TA super-junction MOSFET for automotive applications on its CoolMOS S7T series made for industrial applications. The S7TA includes an integrated temperature sensor to improve the accuracy of junction temperature sensing and consequently improve durability, safety, and efficiency. The embedded sensor delivers a 40% higher accuracy and a response time up to four times faster than standalone onboard sensors—features that are crucial to preventing temperature-related system failures in automotive applications. 

 

Infineon’s 600-V CoolMOS S7TA super-junction MOSFET was designed with automotive makers in mind. Image used courtesy of Infineon

 

In addition to the built-in temperature sensor, the S7TA optimizes the power transistor to precisely control the output stage and reduce power consumption and energy costs. The device's high current threshold increases its reliability for solid-state relay applications and reduces failures. The MOSFET includes other critical components such as circuit breakers to address high-voltage battery disconnect switches, low-frequency switches for both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC), and high-voltage electronic fuses (HV eFuses).

Infineon designed its 600-V CoolMOS 8 SJ with power-supply applications in mind. This new family of MOSFETs combines the best features of the 600-V CoolMOS 7 MOSFET series, succeeding the P7, PFD7, C7, CFD7, G7, and S7 product families. Equipped with an integrated fast body diode, this new family is suitable for server and industrial switched-mode power units, EV chargers, and micro-solar panels.

 

Infineon’s 600-V CoolMOS 8SJ is the newest of its MOSFET product family. Image used courtesy of Infineon

 

The new silicon-based super-junction MOSFETs enhance Infineon's WBG offerings with an 18% lower gate charge at 10 V, 50% lower output capacitance at 400 V, 12% reduced turn-off losses, and 3% lower reverse recovery charge compared to the CFD7. They also boast the market's lowest reverse recovery time and improved thermal performance by 14–42%.

 

Qorvo Introduces JFET for Circuit Protection 

Qorvo announced the industry's first 4-mΩ silicon carbide (SiC) junction field effect transistor (JFET) with its UJ4N075004L8S. Qorvo claims this JFET offers the lowest on-resistance among 650-V to 750-V classes of power devices and is designed for circuit protection applications, including solid-state circuit breakers. It offers significant heat reduction with low on-resistance and a small footprint due to its TOLL package, making it 40% smaller than competing devices in TO-263 packages. Such features make it a preferable choice for circuit breakers with limited space and without requiring cooling systems. 

 

Qorvo’s UJ4N075004L8S can address the challenging thermal and space constraints of solid-state circuit breakers and relay applications. Image used courtesy of Qorvo

 

Using SiC, a wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor, allows the JFET to operate with high efficiency and low thermal resistance. It can also handle high inrush currents and elevated junction temperatures without degrading. The JFET's normally on nature makes it easy to integrate into default on-state systems. It switches off under fault conditions, a helpful feature for modern, space-limited, and highly reliable circuit protection systems.

 

EPC's New GaN FET for Power-Dense Applications

EPC has launched its 50 V, 8.5 mΩ EPC2057aN FET in a 1.5 mm x 1.2 mm footprint, offering higher power density (PD) for space-constrained USB-C PD applications such as consumer electronics, in-car charging, and e-mobility. 

EPC’s gallium nitride (GaN) FET has an ultra-low on-resistance of just 8.5 mΩ. Its tiny footprint makes it appealing for space-constrained applications, enabling smaller, more efficient power adapters and chargers. Its fast switching improves power density and reduces the size of passive components, also leading to more compact and lightweight designs.
 

EPC’s newest GaN FET features a 1.5 mm x 1.2 mm footprint with ultra-low on-resistance for consumer electronics. Image used courtesy of EPC

 

In a company press release, EPC CEO and co-founder Alex Lidow explained that as USB-C PD gains traction, compact, efficient, compact, performant power solutions are essential. EPC's new GaN FET, he asserted, meets these needs.

 

FETs Galore at PCIM Europe

The announcements from Infineon, Qorvo, and EPC were just a few examples of the many FETs that peppered the PCIM Europe show floor. Other companies presenting new FETs included Mitsubishi Electric with Schottky barrier diode-embedded SiC MOSFET modules, Vishay's 1200-V MaxSiC SiC MOSFETs, with Transphorm's SuperGaN FETs. These burgeoning FETs underscore the importance of advanced transistor technology and wideband semiconductors, translating to higher functionality, reliability, and efficiency in various power systems.