The semiconductor industry is the core pillar of modern technology. From smartphones and new energy vehicles to artificial intelligence and smart grids, high-end electronic devices cannot do without the support of semiconductor materials. With the upgrading of global industries towards high efficiency, miniaturization, high temperature resistance, and high pressure resistance, traditional silicon-based semiconductors have reached the performance ceiling, and third-generation semiconductor materials have emerged. Among them, silicon carbide (SiC), with its unique physical and chemical properties and mature industrialization capabilities, has become the third-generation semiconductor core material, leading industrial transformation.
The core positioning of third-generation semiconductors and the irreplaceability of silicon carbide
The core of semiconductor material iteration is the matching of performance and scenario. The first generation of silicon and germanium materials laid the foundation for the electronics industry, but their performance deteriorates severely in high-pressure, high-temperature, and high-frequency scenarios. The second-generation gallium arsenide and indium phosphide focus on high-frequency optoelectronic properties, but they have problems such as high cost and difficulty in industrialization.
The third-generation semiconductor is based on wide bandgap materials and has the characteristics of a high bandgap, high breakdown field strength, and high thermal conductivity, making it suitable for high-end scenarios. Among mainstream materials, gallium nitride focuses on low-voltage and high-frequency scenarios, while silicon carbide, with its advantages of high pressure, high temperature, high power, and mature industrial chain, has become the most widely used and commercially mature core material, undertaking the responsibility of industrial upgrading.
Silicon Carbide
Core performance crushing: Silicon carbide breaks through the ceiling of silicon-based semiconductors
The core competitiveness of silicon carbide lies in comprehensively crushing the physical properties of silicon-based semiconductors, solving pain points that silicon materials cannot overcome, and adapting to more high-end scenarios. The key advantages are reflected in five aspects.
1. Wide bandgap characteristics, with high temperature resistance far exceeding that of silicon-based materials
The bandgap width directly determines the high-temperature and pressure-resistance performance of materials. The bandgap width of silicon carbide is 3.26eV, which is nearly three times that of silicon (1.12eV). It can operate stably at 200-600 ℃, while silicon-based devices will experience performance degradation and failure beyond 150 ℃. This advantage makes it suitable for harsh scenarios such as new energy vehicle cabins and industrial high-temperature equipment, without the need for complex cooling systems, significantly reducing equipment volume and cost.
2. High breakdown field strength, achieving a balance between high voltage and miniaturization
The critical breakdown electric field strength of silicon carbide is about 3MV/cm, which is 10 times that of silicon. Under the same withstand voltage requirements, its device thickness is only 1/10 of that of the silicon substrate. It can achieve miniaturization and lightweighting of equipment, such as reducing the volume of new energy vehicle chargers by more than 50%. It can also adapt to scenarios such as 800V high-voltage fast charging and high-voltage energy storage, solving the problems of large volume and high energy consumption of silicon-based devices.
3. High thermal conductivity solves the problem of high-power heat dissipation
The thermal conductivity of silicon carbide is about 490W/(m · K), which is more than three times that of silicon. It can quickly dissipate the heat generated during the operation of high-power devices and reduce the junction temperature of the chip. In scenarios such as AI servers and photovoltaic energy storage converters, the cooling system can be simplified, costs can be reduced, equipment can be miniaturized, and device lifespan can be extended.
4. High frequency and low loss, improving energy utilization efficiency
The saturation drift rate of silicon carbide electrons is twice that of silicon, the switching frequency can reach 3-10 times that of silicon-based devices, and the switching loss is reduced by more than 70%. Applied to the main drive inverter of new energy vehicles, the energy conversion efficiency can reach 99%, and the range can be increased by 5% -10%. In the fields of photovoltaics and smart grids, it can reduce energy loss and help achieve the "dual carbon" goal.
Silicon Carbide Semiconductor
5. High stability, suitable for extreme working conditions
Silicon carbide has a hardness second only to diamond, with strong acid and alkali resistance, radiation resistance, and thermal stability. Its service life under extreme working conditions far exceeds that of silicon-based materials. Suitable for military, nuclear, and high-temperature heating scenarios, such as the aerospace industry, it can withstand high radiation and extreme temperature differences in space. The service life of industrial high-temperature heating elements is 3-5 times that of traditional products.
The scene needs to explode: silicon carbide adapts to the new generation of industrial upgrading
Excellent performance is the foundation, and the explosive demand of the new generation of industries provides a broad application space for silicon carbide, promoting its rapid commercialization and consolidating its core position, mainly suitable for four major fields.
1. New energy vehicles: core essential needs, promoting large-scale application
New energy vehicles are upgrading to the 800V high-voltage platform, with higher performance requirements for semiconductor devices, and silicon carbide has become a standard material. It is mainly used for main drive inverters, car chargers, and DC-DC converters, which can improve energy conversion efficiency, extend battery life, and reduce equipment size. At present, mainstream car companies such as Tesla and BYD have adopted it, driving sustained demand growth.
2. Photovoltaic/Energy Storage/Smart Grid: Efficient and Energy Saving, Supporting Energy Transformation
Under the "dual carbon" goal, the fields of photovoltaics, energy storage, and smart grids are rapidly developing, with silicon carbide becoming the core material. The photovoltaic field can improve power generation efficiency and adapt to harsh outdoor environments; The energy storage field assists in efficient storage and transmission of electrical energy; Improving transmission and distribution efficiency, reducing losses, and ensuring grid stability in the field of smart grids.
3.Semiconductor and computing power field: breaking through bottlenecks and supporting high-end computing power
The development of artificial intelligence and big data is driving the demand for computing power, and traditional silicon-based semiconductors are unable to meet high-frequency, high-power, and heat dissipation requirements. Silicon carbide is used for high-voltage power supplies and RF devices in data centers and AI servers. It can achieve high-frequency and low-loss power conversion, fast heat dissipation, ensure stable operation of equipment under high loads, and assist in the development of high-end chips.
Silicon Carbide Machining
Leading Industry Maturity: The Fastest Commercialization of Third-Generation Semiconductor Materials
Silicon carbide has become the core, thanks to its much higher industrial maturity than other third-generation semiconductor materials. It has achieved a full industry chain layout from substrates, epitaxy, to devices and modules, with the fastest commercialization speed.
Compared to gallium nitride, although the latter has advantages in low voltage and high frequency scenarios, it has problems such as a small substrate size, high cost, and difficulty in industrialization, and its commercial scale is limited. The silicon carbide substrate, epitaxy, and device processes are mature, and 8-inch substrates have been mass-produced, with costs decreasing year by year. The industrial chain layout is complete, forming a complete industrial ecosystem.
At present, many global enterprises have achieved large-scale production of silicon carbide, and domestic enterprises are rapidly rising to break foreign monopolies, promoting continuous cost reduction and expanding application scope. Their core position will be more stable.
Silicon carbide has become the core material of third-generation semiconductors, which is the result of the combined effects of performance advantages, scene requirements, and industry maturity. It breaks through the ceiling of silicon-based semiconductors, adapts to the needs of the new generation of industries, has a mature industrial chain, and is the core force for upgrading the global semiconductor industry.
Supplier
TRUNNANO is a globally recognized silicon carbide manufacturer and supplier of compounds with more than 12 years of expertise in the highest quality nanomaterials and other chemicals. The company develops a variety of powder materials and chemicals. Provide OEM service. If you need high quality silicon carbide, please feel free to contact us. You can click on the product to contact us.
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