7 October 2015

PowerAmerica calls for projects for DOE-funded program on wide-bandgap semiconductor manufacturing development

PowerAmerica - a private-public partnership between the US Department of Energy, industry and academia - has released a new call for projects to advance wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor manufacturing and to accelerate the adoption of WBG semiconductor power electronics applications.

Issued on 2 October, the call for projects requests participation on:

• Projects that lower the cost and increase the availability of wide-bandgap power electronic devices by increasing gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) foundry capacity.

• Projects that advance innovative WBG semiconductor devices from design through qualification and accelerate the pathway for devices to reach volume manufacturing.

• Projects that increase the acceptance and adoption of WBG power electronics by advanced packaging and demonstrating reliability of SiC and GaN devices.

• Projects to accelerate commercialization of WBG power electronics applications in:
  - transportation and energy-constrained mobile systems; 
  - renewable energy power conversion and energy exploration;
  - energy efficiency for communications and digital systems; and
  - high-voltage systems and energy-efficient motor drives.
  - Education and workforce development for WBG semiconductors and power electronics.

Technical applications require 1:1 cost sharing.

Led by North Carolina State University (NCSU) and located on its Centennial Campus, PowerAmerica's mission is to develop advanced manufacturing processes to enable cost-competitive, large-scale production of WBG semiconductor-based power electronics, which allow electronic systems to be smaller, faster and more efficient than power electronics made from silicon. PowerAmerica is a $146m program, with $70m provided by the Department of Energy and $76m provided by industry, state and academia through cost sharing.

"The advantages of WBG are tremendous," says PowerAmerica's deputy director John Muth. "Compared to silicon, in many applications using WBG power electronics the system can be reduced in size and weight, operate at higher temperatures and cut energy losses in half," he adds. "This is a great opportunity for US industry to excel and compete with the rest of the world and is a fantastic area for young engineers to further their careers."

Tags: Power electronics GaN SiC

Visit: www.poweramericainstitute.org/call-for-projects