Yole research : Several reports on the state of the industry relating to dc/dc converters. One of the interesting ones is the Yole research on super-junction MOSFETs. These discrete components target the consumer market including the big growth opportunities of power supplies for tablet, laptops, TVs. The super-junction MOSFETs will also be used in dc/dc converters and chargers for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
DoD converter standards : Good things to know — IHS offers a link to easily find many of the DoD standards you need to know about, such as a landing page for dc/dc converters.
Virginia Tech research : The evaluation of MOSFETs and dc/dc converters are found in many research facilities and trade shows. For example, Virginia Tech’s Center for Power Electronics Systems recently had its annual conference and had many papers that dealt with wide-band gap research (GaN and SiC devices). Most of them dealt with MOSFETs but they are also investigating switching performance, temperature behavior, and power loss in high-frequency dc/dc converters. Find out more at www.cpes.vt.edu/2013Conference/sessions/dialogue_D1.php
Vehicle research : Companies are even looking at the use of wide-band-gap material like SiC for dc/dc converter components in electric vehicles. Look to the Prodrive consortium to develop something for use with multivoltage dc/dc technology where one converter does the work of several. This research on the technology is at the center of the business consortium’s R&D, which it sees as a way to simplify powertrain electrification.
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