PCIM showcases innovative power products

By Jean-Jacques DeLisle, contributing writer

At the Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) 2018 conference, products and technologies from the leading power electronic, energy management, renewable energy, and intelligent motion companies were demoed, displayed, and discussed. The following is a brief roundup of some products that produced the most buzz at this year’s conference.

Combining performance and robustness: automotive CoolSiC Schottky diodes

Infineon Technologies AG introduced the CoolSiC Schottky diode, which is designed to meet the high demands of the automotive industry in reliability, quality, and performance. This device is ready to use in on-board charger (OBC) applications in today’s hybrid and electric vehicles and for vehicles of the future. Based on Infineon’s fifth-generation Schottky diode, this new line has a new passivation layer concept that protects from humidity and corrosion, making it the most robust automotive device available on the market. The 110-µm-thin wafer technology boasts one of the best figures of merit (Qc x Vf) in its category, proving lower power losses and a better electrical performance.

Compared to the traditional silicon rapid diode, the CoolSiC automotive Schottky diode improves the efficiency of an OBC by a percentage point over all load conditions, yielding a potential reduction of 200 kg of CO₂ emissions over the typical lifetime of an electric car. Available in September 2018 in the 650-V class, this product is housed in a standard three-pin TO247 package and can easily be implemented in an existing OBC system.

Infineon’s CIPOS Mini IPMs deliver higher efficiency in low-power motor drives

Infineon Technologies AG offers the first high efficient intelligent power modules (IPMs) to integrate CoolMOS MOSFETs in the CIPOS Mini family. Excelling in performance and reliability, the new IM51x IPMs optimize power efficiency in compressors, pumps, or fans in home appliances. When compared to conventional IGBT IPMs, CoolMOS CIPOS Mini IPMs are said to offer significantly lower conducting and switching losses, which reduces total power consumption.

The IM51x series includes integrated bootstrap diodes to simplify PCB layout and are designed to drive motors up to 600 W, which makes them well-suited for systems operating under light-load conditions. The IM51x offers low on-resistance of 310 mΩ and a current rating of 10 A at 25°C with a breakdown voltage of 600 V. These IPMs are available in either full-bridge (IM512) or three-phase (IM513) inverter configurations. Features include a built-in UL-certified NTC thermistor for temperature monitoring, undervoltage lockout (UVLO), and overcurrent protection (OCP) features. The CIPOS Mini CoolMOS family is specified for a maximum operating junction temperature of up to 150°C and features an isolation of up to 2,000 Vrms/min.

ON Semiconductor unveils ultra-high PSRR LDO regulators for demanding applications

ON Semiconductor introduced a new range of ultra-low-noise LDO regulators: the NCP16x series. Combined with the AEC-Q100-qualified NCV81x automotive variants, this package delivers improved performance in automotive ADAS image sensor modules, portable devices, and wireless applications including 802.11ad WiGig, Bluetooth, and WLAN. Ultra-high PSRR of 98 decibels (dB) blocks unwanted power supply noise from reaching sensitive analog circuits, while ultra-low-noise of 6.5 microvolts (µV) RMS eliminates the need for additional output capacitance.

To support a variety of applications, the NCP16x series offers four models with a wide input voltage range from 1.9 V to 5.5 V and an output current of 250 mA, 450 mA, and 700 mA. The new LDO regulators feature a low dropout voltage of 80 mV, which helps to extend the operating life of battery-powered products. They are available in fixed output voltages from 1.2 V to 5.3 V with an accuracy of ±2% over the application range. Stable operation is achieved with only 1 µF of capacitance on the input and output, enabling lower system cost and size, said the company. NCP16x devices are available in TSOP-5, XDFN-4, and WLCSP-4. NCV816x automotive variants are available in TSOP-5 and XDFN-4 packages, suitable for high-density designs.

ON Semiconductor’s SiC diodes target demanding automotive applications

The new AEC-Q101 automotive-grade SiC diodes deliver the reliability and ruggedness required in modern automotive applications by providing superior switching performance and higher reliability compared to silicon devices. The diodes have no reverse recovery current, and switching performance is independent of temperature. ON Semiconductor’s new SiC diodes are available as surface-mount and through-hole packages including TO-247, D2PAK, and DPAK. The FFSHx0120 1,200-V Gen1 and FFSHx065 650-V Gen2 devices offer zero reverse recovery, low forward voltage, temperature-independent current stability, extremely low leakage current, high surge capacity, and a positive temperature coefficient. They deliver improved efficiency while the faster recovery increases switching speeds, reducing the size of magnetic components required, said the company.

These high-performance diodes have been designed to withstand high surge currents and include a unique, patented termination structure that improves reliability and enhances stability. The operating temperature range is −55°C to 175°C.

Cree’s Wolfspeed technology puts the pedal to the metal with 1,200-V SiC MOSFET

Wolfspeed unveiled its third-generation 1,200-V SiC MOSFET high-voltage power conversion switching device, bringing efficiency to the drivetrain while lowering system costs and providing longer driving range. Wolfspeed’s new C3M 1,200-V SiC MOSFET technology is capable of handling high current with the industry’s lowest drain source on-resistance performance at 1,200 V, with the lowest switching losses giving it the highest figure of merit on the market today, according to the company.

●        Supports 900-V and 1,200-V (C3M) SiC MOSFETs

●        Gate driver output voltage = +15 V (max)/−3.3 V (min)

●        Integrated isolated power supply

●        High creepage (9 mm) clearance

●        Resistor network allows user-friendly optimization of gate signals

Wolfspeed’s newest-generation 1,200-V SiC MOSFETs will be in full distribution later this year.

Littelfuse unveils single-fuse solution for applications that demand high current ratings and a compact footprint

Littelfuse introduced a series of UL-approved high-current, surface-mount fuses that are designed for applications that require both a compact footprint and protection from ultra-high currents. The Nano2 881 Series high-current SMD fuses offer a single fuse solution up to 75 VDC and are available in current ratings from 60 A to 100 A. These high-current ratings eliminate the need to parallel multiple lower-rated fuses or use larger, over-spec industrial-type fuses while including the first 100-A SMD fuse available on the market, said the company.

The 881 Series provides minimal voltage drop and low temperature rise, which enhances power efficiency by optimizing thermal performance and minimizing power loss. With an operating range from −55°C to 100°C, 881 Series fuses are suitable for use in existing operating environments. Typical applications in the data center market include blade servers, server chassis, backplane boards, and line cards. Additional applications in the power system market include uninterruptible power supplies (UPSes), base-station power supplies, high-power battery systems, and power factor correction (PFC) in high-wattage power supplies.

KEMET intros power film capacitors for high-power, high-frequency apps

KEMET’s new power film capacitors are suited for industrial, automotive, and power supply designs for DC link, DC filtering, and energy storage applications. The capacitors are housed in rectangular, resin-filled enclosures and deliver an array of application benefits including self-healing characteristics and low losses. High-ripple current values, high capacitance density, and high contact reliability are additional features of the new devices.

The new RoHS-compliant capacitors have a polypropylene metallized film construction and are available as two or four radial-leaded board-mount devices. Available values for the C4AQ series range from 1.0 µF to 130 µF with additional sampling for 170 µF and 210 µF. Voltage values span from 500 VDC to 1500 VDC. Devices from the C4AF series are designed for use in more demanding and harsh applications and are offered in capacitance values up to 62 µF with voltage ratings up to 400 VAC. AEC-Q200-qualified devices within the C4AQ and C4AF ranges address the requirements of the increasing amounts of electronic content in automotive applications, wherein operating environments can be particularly challenging from both an electrical and environmental standpoint.