Advanced Manufacturing and Performance Enhancements for Reduced-cost Silicon Carbide MOSFETs (AMPERES)

The team of Monolith Semiconductor, X-FAB Texas, Rensselaer, United Technologies and Univ. of Arkansas will provide breakthrough advances in switch performance and manufacturing cost reduction to deliver cost-effective 100Amp, 1200V SiC power MOSFETs to enable widespread adoption. Based on the combined expertise in both Silicon and SiC power device design and processing, Monolith Semiconductor is uniquely positioned to develop designs and processing techniques suitable for the existing 150mm silicon foundry at X-FAB Texas. To reduce the manufacturing cost of SiC MOSFETs, Monolith and X-FAB will develop SiC processing techniques that utilize X-FAB’s existing toolset. Monolith Semiconductor and Rensselaer will design advanced three-dimensional SiC MOSFET cell designs utilizing X-FAB’s high yielding (greater than 95%) design rules and processes to achieve less than 2 mOhm-cm2 specific on-resistance. United Technologies will provide characterization and application feedback, demonstrating a 40kW boost converter operating at a switching frequency greater than 50 kHz. In collaboration with Univ. of Arkansas, we will fabricate SiC MOSFETs suitable for double-side cooling to further increase power density. By these combined advances in process simplicity, high-yield manufacturing and low-specific on-resistance, we will demonstrate 100Amp 1200V SiC MOSFETs that can be manufactured in volume at less than 5 cents per Amp.