Next-Generation Electronics Revolution is Already Here

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Power electronics are revolutionizing the commercial and military sectors. While silicon-based electronics have been here for decades, their electrical properties degrade in high temperatures, and chips made from the material fail faster.
Researchers at GE Research and elsewhere have been developing semiconductors that can withstand temperatures of 200 degrees Celsius. They are using silicon carbide (SiC), a tough material used to make sandpaper and grip tape for skateboards that will in time become the standard replacement for silicon. Systems made using this material, also known as power electronics, can handle high-power tasks such as converting direct current to alternating current and vice versa, according to ecnmag.com.
GE began developing SiC MOSFETs (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) more than a decade ago and achieved the strict standards required by the automotive industry. The company has since won dozens of contracts, mostly for military applications.
One of the advantages of the higher operating temperature is a drastic reduction in the amount of equipment needed to keep the circuits or electronics cool. For instance, as part of several contracts with the U.S. Army, GE Aviation Systems is developing SiC-based products for next-generation ground vehicles, such as mobile artillery and armored transport. By using SiC and operating at higher temperatures and voltages, the Army can reduce the volume of space devoted to fans, coolant, plumbing, radiators, compressors and other gear by a factor of four and have unprecedented power, electronic density and performance.
Christine Milford, director of business development for power conversion and control, said: “The government understands how silicon carbide is going to change the future of power electronics. We’re taking our investment money along with theirs and developing products that have broad applications outside the military. We’re expanding into civilian applications that have the same problems, like civilian aerospace systems, healthcare/MRI machines, solar and wind power systems, earth movers and similar challenging environments.”