In 2020, when most fast charging source manufacturers were still exploring the 65W gallium nitride fast charging market, Baseus pioneered the industry's first 120W gallium nitride + silicon carbide fast charging charger. It was this product that turned "silicon carbide fast charging" from an idea into a reality for the first time, opening the door to the commercial use of silicon carbide in the field of fast charging.
Subsequently, MOMAX, REMAX and other manufacturers followed suit and launched a variety of 100-watt high-power fast charging sources based on silicon carbide, which also allowed more and more industry insiders and consumers to have a better understanding of silicon carbide.
1. Official announcement: Silicon carbide is included in the 14th Five-Year Plan
On March 13, 2021, Xinhuanet published the "The 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Outline of Long-term Goals for 2035", among which In the field of "integrated circuits", it is particularly proposed that wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride should be developed.
Silicon carbide and gallium nitride are both third-generation semiconductor wide-bandgap semiconductor materials. The fact that they can be nominated in the "14th Five-Year Plan" shows that their importance has risen to the national level. I believe that with the help of the country, the country will quickly form an environment suitable for the development of third-generation semiconductors, and the prospects are worth looking forward to.
2. Advantages of silicon carbide for fast charging
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound of carbon and silicon. Silicon carbide single crystal material currently uses the physical vapor transport (PVT) method to convert carbon into water at high temperatures exceeding 2000°C. The powder and silicon powder are decomposed into atoms through high temperature, and are deposited on the silicon carbide seed crystal through temperature control to form silicon carbide crystals.
As a third-generation semiconductor material, silicon carbide (SiC) has greater dielectric breakdown strength, faster saturated electron drift speed and higher thermal conductivity than silicon (Si). Therefore, when used in semiconductor devices , silicon carbide devices have characteristics such as high withstand voltage, high-speed switching, low on-resistance, and high efficiency, which help reduce energy consumption and reduce system size.
Silicon carbide can be widely used in electric vehicles, inverters, rail transit, solar energy, wind power, consumer power supplies and other fields. In recent years, with the popularization of USB PD fast charging technology and the maturity of gallium nitride technology, the high-power fast charging source market has gradually emerged. Silicon carbide diodes have also begun to emerge in the consumer power supply market and have entered many hundreds of watt-level large-scale applications. The power fast charging supply chain helps fast charging sources achieve higher efficiency and smaller size.
Charging Head Network learned that in high-power fast charging source products, silicon carbide diodes are mainly used for PFC-level boost rectification; paired with gallium nitride power devices, the operating frequency of the PFC level can be reduced from less than 100KHz in traditional fast charging Increased to 300KHz, thereby reducing the volume of the boost inductor, achieving high power density design, and also greatly improving the efficiency of the power supply. In
switching power supply , due to the use of large-capacity filter capacitors after rectification, a capacitive load is present. When the capacitor is charged and discharged, a large number of high-order harmonics will be generated in the power grid, causing pollution and interference. People began to introduce it into the switching power supply. PFC circuit, switching power supplies with power above 75W are required to add PFC circuit to improve the power factor and correct the load characteristics.
PFC is divided into two types: passive and active. The passive type uses a large inductor for series compensation. Its main disadvantages are large size and low efficiency. With the rapid development of semiconductor devices in recent years, passive PFC has been completely replaced by active PFC. Active PFC uses a PFC controller, switching tube, inductor and diode to form a boost circuit. It has the advantages of small size, wide input voltage range and good power factor compensation effect.
Therefore, silicon carbide has attracted more and more attention in the field of consumer power supplies, and has gradually become the core competitiveness of high-power fast charging products.
3. Silicon carbide suppliers in the fast charging market
Charging Head Network learned through research that there are currently six suppliers of silicon carbide on the market that can be used in the field of high-power USB PD fast charging sources, namely APS Feixin Semiconductor and BASiC Semiconductor Basic Semiconductor, Global Power Tyco Tianrun, Maplesemi, SGKS and PY Pingwei.
The following rankings are in no particular order. They are only sorted by the first letter of the brand for the convenience of readers.
APS Feidian Semiconductor
APS is the first manufacturer in Greater China to successfully use 6-inch silicon carbide devices, and its product performance has reached the international advanced level. The predecessor of APS was founded in Hong Kong's Creative Power. In 2020, it was reorganized and Feidian Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. was used as the new headquarters of APS.
The company’s vision is to provide customers with optimized SiC products and provide green energy to China using APS’ proprietary SiC processes running in silicon wafers and dedicated SiC wafer fabs. APS utilizes low-cost silicon wafer fabs and the best semiconductor manufacturing equipment to achieve SiC mass production without high-asset plant and equipment investment.
According to reports, the silicon carbide diode ACD06PS065G launched by Flying Semiconductor can be used in solar inverters, AC/DC converters, DC/DC converters and uninterruptible power supplies. It is worth mentioning that this device also participated in the development of the industry’s first silicon carbide + gallium nitride fast charge, allowing silicon carbide to be officially commercialized in the consumer power supply field.
BASiC Semiconductor Basic Semiconductor
Shenzhen Basic Semiconductor Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise in China's third-generation semiconductor industry, specializing in the R&D and industrialization of silicon carbide power devices. It has offices in Shenzhen Nanshan, Shenzhen Pingshan , Nanjing Pukou, Beijing Yizhuang , Japan There is a research and development center in Nagoya. The company has an international R&D team, the core members of which are composed of more than ten PhDs from well-known universities such as Cambridge University and Tsinghua University.
Basic Semiconductor masters the world's leading silicon carbide core technology, and researches and develops the entire industry chain covering material preparation, chip design, manufacturing technology, packaging testing, driver applications, etc. of silicon carbide power devices. It has successively launched full current and voltage level silicon carbide Schottky diodes. , 1200V silicon carbide MOSFET, automotive-grade all-silicon carbide power modules and other products that have passed industrial-grade reliability testing, their performance has reached the international advanced level and are used in new energy, electric vehicles, smart grids, rail transit, industrial control, national defense and military industries and other fields.
Basic Semiconductor has participated in the launch of the "Guangdong Future Communication High-end Device Innovation Center" and the "Shenzhen Third Generation Semiconductor Research Institute". It has been approved by the China Association for Science and Technology as the third generation semiconductor collaborative innovation service system of the industry-university-research integration technology innovation service system, and its products have won the " China Core” Excellent Technology Innovation Product Award, first prize in the professional competition of China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and other honors.
Global Power Tyco Tianrun
Tyco Tianrun Semiconductor Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. is one of the advocates of the industrialization of silicon carbide (SiC) power devices in China. Tyco Tianrun is committed to the development of China's semiconductor power device manufacturing industry and provides high-quality semiconductor power device products and professional services to global power device consumers.
Tyco Tianrun has a complete semiconductor process wafer factory in Beijing, and has built a 6-inch silicon carbide power chip production line in Liuyang, Hunan, which can realize the manufacturing process of semiconductor power devices on 4/6-inch SiC wafers. As a domestic silicon carbide R&D, production and platform service company, Tyco Tianrun's product line involves basic core technology products, silicon carbide molding products and multiple sets of industry solutions.
Currently, Tyco Tianrun’s silicon carbide device series of 650V/2A-100A, 1200V/2A-50A, 1700V/5A-50A, 3300V/0.6A-50A and other products have been put into mass production, and two fast chargers have been launched The product quality of silicon carbide diodes dedicated to PFC circuits is comparable to the advanced level of the international industry.
Tyco Tianrun is promoting SiC power devices to more and wider application fields through joint exploration and development with industry peers, scientific research institutes, and domestic and foreign experts.
Maplesemi Maplesemi
Maplesemi was founded in 2014. It is a complete industrial chain company integrating R&D, design, production, sales and service. It is a national high-tech enterprise and mainly engaged in power MOS, medium and low voltage MOS, and super junction. MOS, silicon carbide MOS, silicon carbide diodes and other series of products.
Mepson Semiconductor focuses on the design, development, testing and sales of power device products based on advanced Planar VDMOS, Trench MOS, SJMOS, SiC SBD, SiC MOS and other process structures. Taking consumer electronics, industrial fields, new energy fields, etc. as market targets, we are committed to becoming a world-class power component company.
It is understood that Mepsen has launched silicon carbide diodes for PFC circuits, which have a voltage resistance of 650V and a temperature resistance of 175 degrees. It has now entered the supply chain of two well-known accessories brands, MOMAX and REMAX, and its performance has been unanimously recognized by customers.
SGKS Senguoke
Shenzhen Senguoke Technology Co., Ltd. was established in November 2013 and is a fabless semiconductor design enterprise. The company is headquartered in Science and Technology Ecological Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, and has R&D and operation centers in Shenzhen and Chengdu.
Since its establishment, Senguoke has launched Vision-ADAS (Advanced Assisted Driving), AI recorder, and power supply series chips, which have been widely used in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. In 2018, the company began to invest in the development of motor drive chips and SiC power devices. In 2020, the products have begun to emerge in the market.
Senguoke provides overall chip and system solutions in 4G recorders, ADAS, smart cat eye doorbell and other markets, providing customers with one-stop services and creating more opportunities for upstream and downstream partners.
PY Pingwei
Chongqing Pingwei Industrial Co., Ltd. is a power semiconductor IDM product company integrating chip design, packaging and testing, application and reliability testing services. Based on power semiconductor devices, the company has established product development, manufacturing and testing platforms for market fields such as intelligent terminals, industrial control, Internet of Things, new energy vehicles, 5G communications, home appliances, satellite Internet, security electronics, and green lighting. Provide high reliability, medium, low voltage and high voltage power devices, modules and other products and system solutions.
Pingwei is located in Liangping Industrial Park, Chongqing, specializing in the production of various semiconductor devices, including rectifier diodes, fast recovery diodes, TVS, Zener diodes, Schottky, rectifier bridges, MOSFETs, IGBTs, synchronous rectifier devices, SiC and GaN devices etc., covering an area of 240,000 square meters, with a registered capital of 350 million yuan and a total investment of more than 1.5 billion yuan.
company has 45 packaging production lines and 6 pilot production lines, and has built an independent controllable semiconductor discrete intelligent manufacturing workshop. It produces and sells 20 billion various power semiconductor devices annually. It is the largest comprehensive supplier of power semiconductor devices supporting power supplies in China.
For high-power PD fast charging PFC rectifier circuit applications, Pingwei has launched a silicon carbide diode PASC0665GG, which has zero reverse recovery/zero forward recovery characteristics, efficient operation, extremely fast switching speed, and is not affected by temperature. characteristic.
4. Silicon carbide fast charging case
With its unique properties, silicon carbide has begun to emerge as a high-power, high-density fast charging source, and has been favored by many fast charging source companies. Charging Head Network has learned from previous dismantlings that Baseus 120W fast charging, MOMAX 100W fast charging, and REMAX 100W fast charging have taken the lead in introducing silicon carbide technology, allowing the products to achieve higher power density.
1, Baseus 2C1A 120W gallium nitride charger
On February 25, 2020, Baseus launched the world's first gallium nitride + silicon carbide (GaN + SiC) charger and successfully crowdfunded on kickstarter. This product has a power of up to 120W and is also equipped with 2C1A multi-port output configuration. The gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) used in the Baseus Galio 120W charger are currently the most advanced electronic semiconductor materials. Their high-frequency characteristics have advantages in high-voltage and large-current transmission, which means that they can reach Higher efficiency, lower heat generation and smaller size.
It is understood that the Baseus Galio 120W charger uses a silicon carbide diode from Alpha Power in the PFC rectifier circuit, product model: ACD06PS065G; it is paired with a nano-gallium nitride power device and is actively controlled by an ON Semiconductor PFC controller. Power factor correction.
2, MOMAX 100W 2A2C gallium nitride fast charging charger
MOMAX 100W 2A2C gallium nitride charger has a square and flat body, equipped with foldable pins, and judging from the pin design, it also supports the assembly of pins of other specifications. Portable and suitable for various regions. The charger supports QC, AFC, FCP, SCP, MTK PE+2.0, PD and PPS fast charging protocols, and the two types of interfaces are designed to support blind plugging, so users do not need to deliberately look for fast charging interfaces, making it easy to use. The interface supports 100W, 65W+30W, and Huawei 22.5W fast charging, which is widely supported and highly practical. The entire product is portable and easy to use.
MOMAX This charger uses Mipurson MSD06065V1 silicon carbide diode, Innosec INN650D2 gallium nitride switch tube and NXP PFC controller for active power factor correction. It is understood that Mepsen MSD06065V1 is a 650V voltage-resistant silicon carbide Schottky diode in a TO252 package.
3, REMAX 100W 2A2C gallium nitride fast charging charger
REMAX 100W 2A2C gallium nitride charger uses a white body shell with a matte surface, and the overall look is very simple. The charger is equipped with a total of 4 interfaces, 2A2C, and supports a variety of common fast charging protocols. The USB-C port and USB-A port have a maximum single port output of 100W and 30W respectively, and support multi-port simultaneous fast charging, which can satisfy laptops and mobile phones. The charging needs of various devices such as tablets, tablets, and mobile power supplies.
Charging Head Network learned through disassembly that this charger has a built-in PFC boost circuit and adopts LLC+GaN high-performance architecture. The PFC boost part uses an NXP controller, and selects Mipurson MSD04065G1 silicon carbide diode and Innosec INN650D2 gallium nitride switch tube for rectification. Mipusen MSD04065G1 is a 650V voltage-resistant silicon carbide Schottky diode, packaged in TO252.
Charging head network summary
In traditional PD fast charging sources, especially hundreds of watt high-power PD fast charging, efficiency has always been an urgent problem for power engineers to solve; and in order to achieve product reliability, most chargers have to sacrifice volume and add a large area heat sink. This also made the product very bulky and the user experience was not perfect; this situation was not alleviated until the third generation semiconductors were officially commercialized in the consumer power supply field.
Among 100-watt high-power fast charging products, silicon carbide and gallium nitride are the best partners. The two are used together for PFC boosting and rectification in the front-end of the power supply. Compared with traditional silicon devices, not only the efficiency can be improved, but also the efficiency can be greatly improved. Silhouette effect, and its high-frequency characteristics can be used to reduce the size of the boost inductor, thereby increasing the overall power density of the product.
As the number of high-power devices continues to increase, the market demand for small-sized, high-power multi-port fast charging is also becoming stronger. On the one hand, it promotes the transformation of the power supply architecture from conventional QR to high-performance PFC+LLC. On the other hand, it also deepens the dependence of fast charging sources on third-generation semiconductors. Silicon carbide has broader application prospects in the field of consumer power supplies.
As an important branch of the third-generation semiconductor, silicon carbide has been put into production by many manufacturers before. This time, the country has included the third-generation semiconductor in the 14th Five-Year Plan, which is an even greater development for the development of silicon carbide. A rare opportunity of the times.
