Discrete semiconductors keep pace with stringent demands in automotive, IoT, and mobile segments

By Carolyn Mathas, contributing writer

Discrete components today are faster, smaller, and provide substantially improved efficiency. Used in most common applications, they are also rapidly multiplying in short-product-cycle handheld devices, automotive applications, and burgeoning internet of things (IoT) apps that were nonexistent just a few years ago. Here are eight discrete components designed to address these high-growth industry segments.

ROHM R60xxJNx series of 600-V superjunction MOSFETs
ROHM recently announced 30 new R60xxJNx series superjunction MOSFETs, extending ROHM’s PrestoMOS series . Providing designers with both flexibility and the industry’s fastest reverse recovery time (trr), the MOSFETs are optimized for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, wind and solar energy, fuel-efficient vehicles, cloud computing data centers, and motor-drive in-home appliance applications.

The ROHM 600-V MOSFETs deliver failure-preventing features combined with the industry’s fastest reverse-recovery time.

Given the ultra-fast recovery time of the series, ROHM claims that power loss is reduced by approximately 58% over insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) implementations. The R60xxJNx series raises the reference voltage required to turn a MOSFET on, important in preventing self-turn-on, a common cause of loss. The new series also improves the soft recovery index specific to superjunction MOSFETs by 30%, important in the reduction of failure-causing noise.

Infineon 650-V IGBT with anti-parallel diode
Infineon’s IKP28N65ES5TRENCHSTOP 5 high-speed soft-switching IGBT is packaged with a full rated current RAPID 1 fast and soft anti-parallel diode. The IKP28N65ES5 is designed for use in applications such as industrial heating and welding, solar energy systems, uninterruptible power supplies, and fast EV charging, where controlling EMI noise is critical.

The Infineon 650-V IGBT delivers size, power density, and efficiency advantages.

Housed in a small-footprint TO-220 package, Infineon claims that it provides the highest power density in applications switching between 10 kHz and 40 kHz, where it delivers high efficiency and faster time-to-market cycles.

Designers can enjoy a reduction in circuit design complexity, lower bill-of-materials cost, and elimination of a gate-clamping component. And, with the IKP28N65ES5 , there is no risk of unwanted device turn-on. Additional features include very low V_CEsat  of 1.5 V at 25°C, 4× I_c  pulse current (100°C T_c ), a maximum junction temperature of 175°C, and JEDEC standards compliance.

Infineon also offers 650-V TRENCHSTOP IGBT6 devices with switching frequencies between 5 kHz and 30 kHz.

STMicroelectronics 40-A STGWA40HP65FB2 650-V high-frequency IGBT
STMicroelectronics opted for improved speed with its first device in a new 650-V HB2 series. The 40-A STGWA40HP65FB2 medium- to high-speed IGBT reduces gate charge, which translates to faster switching given the lower gate current. Designed with trench field-stop (TFS) technology, the IGBT is suited for applications such as power factor correction (PFC), automotive, welding, solar inverters, and uninterruptible power supplies.

The device features a protection diode and is optimized for switching frequencies between 16 and 60 kHz and compliant with automotive AEC-Q101 Rev. D. Features also include minimized tail current, low thermal resistance, and a positive V_CEsat  temperature coefficient.

The outstanding thermal performance of the HB2 series maximizes reliability and power density.

STMicroelectronics claims that the STGWA40HP65FB2 provides the highest power density available in a TO-220 footprint. It eliminates the need for gate-clamping components and delivers good EMI behavior.

A 40-A version in a TO-247 long-leads package with three diode options is available, and the company indicates that a complete product family from 15 A to 100 A is currently under development.

Microchip SiC 700-V MOSFET and 1,200-V Schottky barrier diodes
Silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFETs block approximately 10× more voltage, improve system efficiency, and yield a higher power density than silicon devices. Microchip just expanded its SiC devices to include the 700-V SiC MOSFETs and 700-V and 1,200-V SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) . The new additions are designed for high-power applications such as EV systems, including on-board chargers and external charging stations, DC/DC converters, and powertrain/traction control.

Microchip SiC testing results in proof of ruggedness, reliability, and high performance.

According to Microchip, the new SiC MOSFETs and SBDs yield better switching efficiency at higher frequencies. SBD ruggedness and reliability are proven to offer 20% better performance than other SiC diodes in unclamped inductive switching (UIS) ruggedness tests. These tests measure degradation and premature failure should a voltage spike exceed the breakdown voltage. Microchip claims that its SiC MOSFETs also outperform alternatives in these tests, resulting in excellent gate oxide shielding and channel integrity with little lifetime degradation even after 100,000 cycles of repetitive UIS testing.

Microchip supports the lines with comprehensive development services, tools, and reference designs, assisting designers to effectively execute their development programs.

Diodes DXTN07x bipolar junction transistors
At 3.3 × 3.3 × 0.8 mm in size, the new family of NPN and PNP DXTN07x bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) from Diodes, Inc. might be small, but it delivers high power density for applications that require up to 100 V and 3 A.

If size is a major consideration, the PowerDI3333 surface-mount package takes up 70% less PCB space than traditional small-outline transistors (SOT223) and increases PCB throughput with wettable flanks for high-speed, automatic optical inspection (AOI) of solder joints.

The NPN and PNP transistors are designed to perform linear or LDO regulation, gate driving of MOSFETs or IGBTs, and load switches for a variety of industrial and consumer applications.

The family of devices offers a total power dissipation of 2 W and is rated to 175°C for use in high-temperature environments.

Vishay FRED Pt Gen 5 1,200-V Hyperfast and Ultrafast rectifiers
Addressing applications such as EV/HEV battery-charging stations, the booster stage of solar inverters, and UPS applications, Vishay claims that its FRED Pt Gen 5 1,200-V Hyperfast and Ultrafast rectifier family is suited for high-frequency converters, both soft-switched and resonant. Vishay designed the rectifier to reduce conduction and switching losses for use with MOSFETs and high-speed IGBTs.

A total of six Hyperfast and Ultrafast rectifiers make up the recent family additions. The rectifiers deliver 10% lower losses compared with other silicon solutions, narrowing what is considered to be a performance advantage of SiC diodes and providing a cost-effective option for applications in the 50-kHz range.

Both new 30-A and 60-A rectifiers are available in the TO-247L package and in X-type Hyperfast and H-type Ultrafast speed classes. X-type rectifiers provide lower recovered charge (Q_RR ), and H-type devices have lower forward voltage (V_F ). There is also a TO-220AC option for 30-A devices.

ON Semiconductor NTHL080N120SC1 and NVHL080N120SC1 SiC MOSFETs
ON Semiconductor brought two SiC MOSFET devices to market, an industrial-grade NTHL080N120SC1 and an AEC-Q101–compliant automotive-grade NVHL080N120SC1 . Both rugged 1,200-V, 80-mΩ SiC MOSFETs are built to meet the high-frequency design requirements inherent in automotive DC/DC and on-board charger applications for electric vehicles, solar, and uninterruptible and server power supplies in data centers.

ON Semiconductor SiC MOSFETs combine high-frequency advantages and reduced thermal management.

If your devices require a small footprint, these devices are designed for applications in which space constraints typically translate into greater thermal challenges. Both offer high power density, highly efficient operation, and reduced thermal management, and the SiC MOSFETs are unique in their patented termination structure for improved reliability, ruggedness, and enhanced operational stability.

Other key features include class-leading low leakage current, a fast-intrinsic diode with low reverse-recovery charge, greater power density, fast turn-on and -off, and reduced EMI.

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor AOZ8661BDT-05 transient voltage suppressor
Designed to reduce all-too-common electrostatic discharge (ESD) failure rates, Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Ltd. unveiled its AOZ8661BDT-05 transient voltage suppressor (TVS). The solution provides high-speed line protection for USB Type-C applications such as notebooks and mobile devices. The company claims that its new Super Low Cap TVS platform provides a much better figure of merit (FOM) on clamping voltage times capacitance.

The TVS features a capacitance of 0.15 pF and is optimized for designers who require high-speed line protection for USB3.1 Gen2, USB3.2, and Thunderbolt 3.0. Housed in a 0.6 × 0.3-mm leadless surface-mount device, it is suited to fit the small footprint requirement of a USB Type-C connector.