News Article
Toshiba starts volume production of sic power devices
Silicon Carbide Lineup Will Meet Demand for Industrial and Automotive Applications
Toshiba Corporation has started volume production of silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, in anticipation of growing demand for industrial and automotive applications. Production is at Toshiba's Himeji Operations-Semiconductor in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Toshiba will manufacture Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBDs) as the first of its new line-up of SiC products. The SBD is suited for applications that include power conditioners for photovoltaic power generation systems. SBDs can also act as replacements for silicon diodes in switching power supplies, where they are approximately 50 percent more efficient.
SiC power devices offer more stable operation than current silicon devices - even at high voltages and currents - as they significantly reduce heat dissipation during operation. They meet diverse industry needs for smaller, more effective communications devices and suit industrial applications ranging from servers to inverters and trains to automotive systems.
Analysts estimate that the SiC power device market will grow to about 10 times the current scale by 2020. Toshiba aims to secure 30 percent market share in 2020 by strengthening its product line-up, starting with the launch of the new SBD.
