Role of wide bandgap materials in power electronics for smart grids applications

Ballestín Fuertes, Javier ; Muñoz-Cruzado Alba, Jesus ; Sanz Osorio, José Francisco (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Laporta-Puyal, Erika

Resumen: At present, the energy transition is leading to the replacement of large thermal power plants by distributed renewable generation and the introduction of different assets. Consequently, a massive deployment of power electronics is expected. A particular case will be the devices destined for urban environments and smart grids. Indeed, such applications have some features that make wide bandgap (WBG) materials particularly relevant. This paper analyzes the most important features expected by future smart applications from which the characteristics that their power semiconductors must perform can be deduced. Following, not only the characteristics and theoretical limits of wide bandgap materials already available on the market (SiC and GaN) have been analyzed, but also those currently being researched as promising future alternatives (Ga2O3, AlN, etc.). Finally, wide bandgap materials are compared under the needs determined by the smart applications, determining the best suited to them. We conclude that, although SiC and GaN are currently the only WBG materials available on the semiconductor portfolio, they may be displaced by others such as Ga2O3 in the near future

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/electronics10060677

Año: 2021

Publicado en: Electronics 10, 6 (2021), 677 [26 pp.]
ISSN: 2079-9292

Factor impacto JCR: 2.69 (2021)

Categ. JCR: COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS rank: 100 / 163 = 0.613 (2021) - Q3 - T2
Categ. JCR: PHYSICS, APPLIED rank: 82 / 161 = 0.509 (2021) - Q3 - T2
Categ. JCR: ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC rank: 139 / 274 = 0.507 (2021) - Q3 - T2

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 3.7 - Computer Science (Q2) - Engineering (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.59 - Computer Networks and Communications (Q2) - Signal Processing (Q2) - Hardware and Architecture (Q2) - Control and Systems Engineering (Q2)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCIU-CDTI/CER-20191002 RED CERVERA

Tipo y forma: Artículo (Versión definitiva)

Área (Departamento): Área Ingeniería Eléctrica (Dpto. Ingeniería Eléctrica)