Power electronics are at the center of the global transition toward electrification, enabling electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and industrial automation. For decades, silicon has been the dominant semiconductor material in these applications due to its reliability, maturity, and cost-effectiveness. However, a growing shift toward silicon carbide (SiC) is reshaping the industry, driven by the need for greater efficiency, higher power density, and improved performance under demanding operating conditions, tells The Engineer.
Silicon carbide offers significant advantages over conventional silicon. Devices built with SiC can operate at higher voltages, withstand higher temperatures, and switch more rapidly, resulting in lower energy losses and more compact systems. These benefits are particularly valuable in electric vehicles and energy systems, where efficiency directly affects performance and operating costs. Adoption accelerated after Tesla introduced SiC devices into its powertrain in 2017, and the technology has since expanded across automotive, industrial, and energy sectors.
Despite its performance advantages, silicon carbide presents new reliability challenges. Unlike silicon, whose behavior and failure mechanisms have been studied for decades, SiC is still undergoing extensive evaluation. Material defects created during crystal growth or fabrication can influence long-term performance in ways that are not yet fully understood. Existing reliability tests developed for silicon do not always capture the unique failure modes associated with SiC devices operating under high voltage, high temperature, and extended service conditions.
To address these concerns, the industry is increasingly focused on measurement and metrology. Device-level testing must accurately replicate real-world operating environments while producing consistent and repeatable results across laboratories. At the same time, material-level defect analysis is required to identify which imperfections affect performance and how they evolve over time . Together, these approaches create a feedback loop that helps manufacturers improve material quality, refine production processes, and validate reliability.
The article argues that the future of power electronics depends on more than material innovation alone. While silicon carbide offers compelling performance benefits, widespread adoption in safety-critical applications will require strong evidence of durability and predictability. In the next phase of semiconductor development, measurement will be as important as performance in determining success.