In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, advancements in power electronics play a pivotal role in transforming numerous industries. Among them, silicon carbide (SiC), as a third-generation semiconductor material, has emerged as a core force driving power electronic devices towards higher efficiency, miniaturization, and enhanced reliability due to its exceptional properties. On February 12, 2025, Wolfspeed, a global leader in SiC technology, announced the launch of its innovative 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology platform. The release of this platform marks a significant milestone in terms of high performance and durability, bringing new breakthroughs to the industry, especially in the growing fields of electric vehicles and renewable energy.

Technical Highlights of the 4th Generation SiC MOSFET Technology Platform

The most notable feature of Wolfspeed's 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology platform is the significant reduction in on-resistance. Compared to the previous generation, the on-resistance has been decreased by 21%, directly reducing conduction losses and enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the device. The combination of low on-resistance and SiC's high critical electric field characteristics allows the device to achieve a high voltage tolerance above 1700V on a smaller chip area, while also lowering gate charge (Qg) and capacitance, thereby supporting higher switching frequencies. This series of advantages also leads to a significant reduction in the size and cost of inductors, capacitors, and other components in power systems, further improving the overall system performance.

Apart from the reduction in on-resistance, Wolfspeed's 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology also achieves significant improvements in switching losses and system costs. The switching losses are reduced by 15%, which not only enhances the energy efficiency of power equipment but also enables it to perform more outstandingly in various high-power applications. Additionally, thanks to advanced design concepts, Wolfspeed's 4th generation technology can increase power output by up to 30% within the same package size, providing users with more cost-effective solutions.

In terms of durability and safety, Wolfspeed's 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology also excels. The MOSFET component has a short-circuit tolerance time of up to 2.3 microseconds, providing additional safety margins for critical applications. Furthermore, compared to previous technologies, the failure-in-time (FIT) rate of this platform has been improved by up to 100 times, ensuring reliable performance at different altitudes. High temperature resistance is another key characteristic, as the 4th generation SiC MOSFET bare chip can operate continuously at 185°C and maintain limited operation at 200°C, making it highly reliable under harsh working conditions.

Wolfspeed's 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology also integrates a novel soft recovery body diode design. This innovation significantly reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI) during reverse recovery, simplifying the certification process and enabling the use of smaller EMI filters. In practical applications, the 4th generation MOSFET devices achieve safer and smoother switching actions at high dV/dt values, eliminating parasitic overshoots and effectively enhancing system reliability.

Impact and Future Outlook

The launch of Wolfspeed's 4th generation SiC MOSFET technology has important implications for the entire industry. The advent of this new technology may prompt a reassessment of competitors' product lines. In the current fiercely competitive market environment, Wolfspeed, with its leading on-resistance and switching performance, will undoubtedly attract more attention. With the rapid development of the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors, improving energy efficiency and reducing costs have become top priorities for the industry. The introduction of this new technology will directly meet the market demand for high-performance and flexible semiconductor solutions, while inevitably influencing the development direction of similar products.

Tom Werner, Executive Chairman of Wolfspeed, stated, "We are committed to driving continuous innovation and applying our SiC solutions to a wider range of industries to address increasingly complex application scenarios. Our 4th generation technology relies on efficient 200mm wafer delivery capabilities, enabling us to achieve unprecedented production scales and yields."

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