STMicroelectronics Cooperates With Semikron to Integrate Silicon-Carbide Power Technology in Next-Generation Electric-Vehicle Drives

By Tiera Oliver

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

May 13, 2022

News

STMicroelectronics Cooperates With Semikron to Integrate Silicon-Carbide Power Technology in Next-Generation Electric-Vehicle Drives

STMicroelectronics revealed it is supplying silicon carbide (SiC) technology for the eMPack electric-vehicle (EV) power modules from Semikron.

This is the result of a four-year technical collaboration between the two companies to design-in ST’s advanced SiC power semiconductors for suitable efficiency and industry-benchmark performance in more compact systems. Semikron recently announced it had secured a billion-Euro contract to supply their eMPack power modules to a major German car maker, beginning in 2025.

“Leveraging our SiC technology, Semikron’s advanced scalable eMPack family of power modules is ready to make a major contribution towards zero-emission motoring,” said Edoardo Merli, Power Transistor Sub-Group General Manager and Executive Vice President of STMicroelectronics. “In addition to its transformative effect in e-mobility, our SiC technology, now in its third generation, is driving increased efficiency, performance, and reliability in sustainable energy and industrial power-control applications.”

ST’s advanced third-generation SiC technology delivers process stability and performance. Engineers from ST and Semikron cooperated to integrate the STPOWER SiC MOSFETs, which control power switching in the main EV traction inverter, with Semikron’s fully sintered Direct Pressed Die (DPD) assembly process. DPD is designed to enhance module performance and reliability, and enables cost-effective power and voltage scaling. Leveraging the parameters of ST’s SiC MOSFETs, supplied as bare dice, Semikron has established 750V and 1200V eMPack platforms, addressing applications from 100kW to 750kW and battery systems from 400V to 800V.

ST has a broad portfolio of STPOWER SiC MOSFETs in production now. They are available in standard power packages or as bare dice that are optimal for advanced modules where high power density handling is a key requirement. 

For more information, visit: www.st.com.

Tiera Oliver, Associate Editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content edits, product news, and constructing stories. She also assists with newsletter updates as well as contributing and editing content for ECD podcasts and the ECD YouTube channel. Before working at ECD, Tiera graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.S. in journalism and political science and worked as a news reporter for the university’s student led newspaper, The Lumberjack.

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