Infineon Technologies recently demonstrated its first series of CoolSiC Schottky diodes for automotive at PCIM. The Schottky diodes are ready for use in current and future hybrid vehicles and on-board charger (OBC) applications in electric vehicles. This new product is designed by Infineon for the automotive industry's high requirements for reliability, quality and performance.

Stephan Zizala, vice president and general manager of the Infineon High-Power Division at Infineon, said: “The silicon carbide (SiC) technology is now mature and can be widely deployed in automotive systems. This series uses CoolSiC Schottky diodes for automotive applications. The launch of the Infineon SiC product portfolio represents a milestone in the deployment of in-vehicle chargers, DC/DC converters and frequency converter systems."

The new series uses Infineon's fifth-generation Schottky diodes. This Schottky diode has been further optimized to meet the reliability requirements of the automotive industry. Using the new protective layer concept, the series is the most durable automotive component in the market for resistance to moisture and corrosion. In addition, due to the use of 110μm thin wafer technology, this series has lower power consumption and therefore can achieve better electrical performance.

Compared to traditional Rapid diodes, CoolSiC Automotive Schottky diodes increase the efficiency of OBC by 1 percentage point under all load conditions. During the general service life of electric vehicles, there is the potential to reduce 200 kg of CO2 emissions.

The first 650V-level derivatives will be launched in September 2018. Available in a standard 3-pin TO247 package, it can be easily built into an OBC system. These products are optimized for use with Infineon's TRENCHSTOP IGBT and CoolMOS products.