PowerAmerica Kicks Off a Dozen New Projects Designed to Advance SiC and GaN Technology

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This month, PowerAmerica will kick off a dozen new projects to further SiC and GaN technology in the U.S. The institute is launching three Member-Initiated projects selected by PowerAmerica members through a competitive process to address key technical challenges for wide bandgap manufacturing and reliability, as well as nine Open Innovation Fund projects that are awarded on a rolling basis through an open application process to address emergent opportunities for impactful innovations across the supply chain.

The projects are:

Member Initiated Projects

  • Prototyping and Evaluation of High-Speed 10 kV SiC MOSFET Power Modules with High Scalability and Partial Discharge Inception Voltage (Virginia Tech/NREL/Wolfspeed)
  • Packaging a Top-cooled 650V/>150A GaN Power Module with Insulated Thermal Pads and Gate-Drive Circuit (University of Tennessee-Knoxville/GaN Systems/Hella)
  • Surge Energy Robustness of GaN Power Devices and Modules: Application-driven Evaluation and Physics-of-Failure Modeling (Virginia Tech/Lockheed Martin)

Open Innovation Fund Projects

  • 3 kV SiC Planar-Gate Power JBSFETs (SiCamore Semi/NC State University)
  • Design, Manufacture, and Test of a 6.5kV WBG Module for MV Voltage Source Converter Applications (GE Aviation)
  • Artificial Intelligence-Based Current Sharing for Parallel Operation of 3.3 kV SiC MOSFETs in Power Module (Ohio State University)
  • Compact and Efficient GaN-based Back-up or Portable Power for Electronics (Fastwatt)
  • WBG Based Low Voltage/High Current DC/DC Converter for Electric Transit Buses (Miami University)
  • Establishment of WBG Power Electronics Systems Testing Facility for Education and Workforce Training Engaging PowerAmerica Industry Members (NC State University)
  • 78-MHz, 200W GaN-Based Class E and EF Inverters for Wireless Power Mats with Enhanced Load and Reactance Range Employing a Nonlinear Shunt Capacitor (NC State University)
  • Medium-Voltage SiC-based Compensators for Distribution Systems (EPRI/University of Arkansas)
  • SiC Based Power Electronic Driver for Electric Vehicle Traction (University of Akron)