At RISE, we have been working for over 20 years on research concerning silicon carbide and other WBG materials. We have two large laboratories to support this work. Our researchers possess deep expertise in the field, and you can read our publications and collaborate with us on applied development projects.
How do we perform the research?
RISE is an institute that engages in both academic and applied research. In the fields of semiconductors and power electronics, we have numerous scientific publications (see below), as well as clients whom we support in their development work. Our clients are both Swedish and international, and the development projects often involve sensitive issues or new areas. For example, we support the development of new types of sensors, processes, and material choices.
Here, you can read about our offerings, our services, and our laboratories.
What drives our scientists?
Meet our world-renowned nestor in Power Electronics - Mietek Bakowski
Meet one of the few who understands how quantum physics can be implemented in semiconductor components - Qin Wang
What research is being made?
A tremendous amount of research is conducted in electronics, circuits, and integrated chips. Different international groups have their niches, with RISE leveraging its infrastructure and labs to study areas such as WBG materials, quantum effects, photonics, graphene, as well as MEMS technology and sensors. One of our strengths is our long background in power electronics, where we study materials, processing, and system design. Often, clients come to us with specific questions, and we work on sensitive assignments, or we collaborate with industry partners in publicly funded projects (EU, Vinnova, among others).
Scientific publications from RISE in semiconductors
You can access the Diva-database directly to dive into which areas we are exploring, or contact us to guide you. We have ~200 publications in this field.
What is power electronics?
Power electronic devices are used to handle high voltages and currents, ranging from household electronics to space applications. Power electronics are becoming increasingly important for many players in the automotive and electromobility fields. By using new materials, we can save energy and manage harsher environments.
Fast charging requires increasingly higher voltage, with rapid progress towards 800V and even 1200V, which imposes entirely new requirements. Many new areas are expected to emerge in the coming years.
Feel free to read more about our expertise in power electronics here.
Semiconductors and Wide Band Gap Materials
Semiconductors with a wide band gap (WBG, Wide Band Gap) can be used at significantly higher temperatures and higher electrical voltages compared to silicon while maintaining functionality. Silicon still dominates in the construction of various electrical energy converters - silicon thyristors can block over 10,000 volts, but challengers like silicon carbide and gallium nitride are quickly gaining ground.
- SiC - Silicon Carbide is a very hard material with a wide band gap and properties suitable for high-power electronics. Silicon carbide power MOSFETs can handle high power without breaking down.
- GaN - Gallium Nitride also has a wide band gap and is suitable for high-power components. The material also exhibits interesting properties for optoelectronics and high-frequency applications. GaN is often grown on foreign substrates such as silicon or sapphire.
Report and analysis from McKinsey about the electric vehicle market and Power Electronics
The estimated growth for the electric vehicle market is 20 percent annually until 2030, when xEV sales are expected to reach 64 million - four times the estimated electric vehicle sales volume in 2022. Ensuring that the component supply for electric vehicles is sufficient to meet this rapid increase in estimated demand is critical, and the supply of silicon carbide (SiC) deserves special attention. Our analysis shows that compared to their silicon counterparts, SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) used in electric vehicle drivetrains (primarily converters, but also DC-DC converters and onboard chargers) offer higher switching speeds, thermal resistance, and breakdown voltage. These differences contribute to higher efficiency (longer range) and lower total system costs (reduced battery capacity and thermal management requirements) for the drivetrain. These benefits are amplified at the higher voltages needed for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which are expected to constitute the majority of electric vehicles produced by 2030.
For electric vehicles, the type of drivetrain - BEV, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), 400 volts or 800 volts - determines the benefits and relative use of SiC. Due to their greater efficiency needs, 800-volt BEV drivetrains are likely to use SiC-based converters. According to our analysis, BEVs are expected to account for 75 percent of electric vehicle production by 2030 (up from 50 percent in 2022), while HEVs and PHEVs will make up the remaining 25 percent. Furthermore, we expect a market penetration of over 50 percent for 800-volt drivetrains by 2030 (up from less than 5 percent in 2022). Consequently, we see significant tailwinds for SiC devices over the coming decade. (McKinsey, October 2023)
