A new series of 1200 V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs has been released in a surface-mount D2PAK-7 package, now certified to AEC-Q101 for automotive applications. These components are available with on-resistance (RDS(on)) ratings of 30 mΩ, 40 mΩ, and 60 mΩ, and were previously offered in industrial-grade versions. With the addition of automotive qualification, these devices can now be considered for use in electric vehicle subsystems, including onboard chargers, traction inverters, DC-DC converters, and HVAC electronics.
The devices are designed to operate in thermally constrained environments where conduction losses are a key performance parameter. The temperature coefficient of RDS(on) is a central consideration, especially for surface-mounted components cooled through the PCB rather than a heatsink. While SiC MOSFETs typically show a rise in RDS(on) with increasing junction temperature, the new devices exhibit a 38% increase from 25 °C to 175 °C. This behavior contrasts with SiC MOSFETs that may show over 100% RDS(on) drift over the same temperature range. The controlled thermal behavior allows designers to use parts with a higher nominal RDS(on) at 25 °C while maintaining acceptable conduction losses at elevated temperatures.
The D2PAK-7 surface-mount package facilitates automated assembly and may reduce total system cost compared to through-hole solutions. The package’s thermal performance is compatible with PCB-based cooling schemes, which is increasingly relevant for automotive electronics integration.
Additional variants with RDS(on) values of 17 mΩ and 80 mΩ are soon planned for release with automotive qualification. These additions will further expand the range of power handling capabilities within this product family.
