The quest for more-efficient electronics centers on power devices, and semiconductor materials are at the vanguard of the R&D activity. Silicon’s low cost and wide availability enabled it to overtake germanium years ago as the dominant power semiconductor material. Today, however, silicon is ceding its dominance in power devices to two higher-efficiency alternatives: silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).

These highly innovative materials belong to the wide-bandgap (WBG) family of semiconductors. WBG’s extraordinary physical and electrical properties make the materials a natural for meeting the performance demands of high-frequency power applications, including power and operating-temperature extremes and the proliferating requirements for faster, high-efficiency, low-loss switching in compact form factors.