About

Member Initiated Projects (MIP) are a valuable benefit of the Institute, as they establish a process for supporting technology development that is focused on pre-competitive, yet critical needs of the broad wide bandgap community. Proposals will be accepted from members and non-members. Non-members will be required to join PowerAmerica if their proposal is selected for funding.

MIPs provide a mechanism for Institute members to collectively identify the highest priority projects that are needed to advance WBG commercialization and to direct resources to address those challenges. Successful projects yield tangible results that benefit members.

These projects are funded by member dues and other revenue-generating activities that the Institute performs (no direct federal funding). A small working group composed of members works with PowerAmerica staff to administer the MIP program.

Current Member Initiated Projects

• Optimal HV SiC Device Characteristics for D-FACTS Rated 5 kV to 25 kV
  Improved SiC MOSFETS (Electric Power Research Institute, University of
  Arkansas, North Carolina State University)
• MV Solid State & Hybrid Breaker Architectures using SiC JFETS Novel Motor
  Drives (SUNY-Albany, Qorvo-United Silicon Carbide)
• Demonstration of 100 kW SiC Inverter with Soft-Switching dv/dt Filter and
  Ultra High Efficiency for Motor Drives (North Carolina State University,
  Microchip)
• Design and Demonstration of Current Sharing Strategy for Paralleling High
  Current Silicon Carbide Modules (University of Arkansas, Microchip)
• Paralleling of GaN Modules for High Power Applications (GE, North
  Carolina State University (NREL)
• Increasing Channel Mobility, Reducing Threshold Instability, and Improving
  Robustness of 650 V SiC Power MOSFETs (Purdue, XFAB)
• Design and Test A 800V/>50kW Three-level Active Neutral Point Clamping
  Motor Drive Inverter using 650V/60A GaN HEMTs for Electric Vehicles
  (University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Mercedes Benz R&D, GaN Systems)
• Multilevel GaN based Traction Drive Inverter (Marquette University, GaN
  Systems)
• A 650V GaN-based Three-Level ANPC Inverter for Electric Vehicle Traction
  (North Carolina State University, Transphorm, GaN Systems)
• Defining the Full Benefits of WBG Technology for the Power Grid (Electric
  Power Research Institute, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Microchip,
  Southern Company, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, North Carolina
  State University, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, Nebraska
  Public Power District)
• Automated Tool to Measure Soft-switching Coss Losses in Wide Bandgap
  Power Devices (Stanford University, onsemi)
• High-Frequency, Soft-Switching Losses of GaN and SiC Devices: Application-
  oriented Evaluation and Physical Mechanism Study (Virginia Tech with
  Lockheed Martin, NexGen Systems)

Past MIPs

• Quantifying Power Device Reliability Due to Terrestrial and Other Radiation Sources (CoolCAD Electronics)
• Reliability Analysis of Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Devices (Texas Tech/Group NIRE)
• Short-circuit Behavior and Protection of Next Generation SiC Modules (Ohio State)
• WBG Integrated High Voltage APM/OBCM Converter for Future Use in Autonomous Vehicles (Virginia Tech)
• Packaging a Top-cooled 650V/>150A GaN Power Module with Insulated Thermal Pads and Gate-Drive Circuit (University of Tennessee)
• Prototyping and Evaluation of High-Speed 10 kV SiC MOSFET Power Modules with High Scalability and System-Integration Solution (Virginia Tech/NREL/Wolfspeed)
• Surge Energy Robustness of GaN Power Devices and Modules: Application-driven Evaluation and Physics-of-Failure Modeling (Virginia Tech/Lockheed Martin)
• Silicon Carbide Power Modules for Medium Voltage Applications (University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Microchip, NREL)
• Embedded GaN Power Module for High Frequency 400V/>20A Operation with Double-Sided Cooling and Integrated Gate-Drive Circuit (University of Tennessee-Knoxville, GaN Systems, NREL)
• SiC-based Module Building Block with Integrated Inductor and Gate Driver (Virginia Tech, Infineon, Lockheed Martin)
• Demonstration of Advanced Power Packaging Technology for Near Term Commercialization (N.C. State University, Transphorm, United SiC)