SemiSouth awarded SiC development contracts
In the first contract, monitored by the Office of Naval Research, SemiSouth Laboratories is developing high-current, and high-voltage SiC diodes for power rectification to meet new needs in on-board ship energy conversion.
"SiC opens up new possibilities in megawatt power-switching applications for both DoD and commercial applications," said William Draper, SiC product development engineer. "What has limited development to date is the ability to scale devices up to large current (over 10 A) with acceptable cost and yield. SemiSouth has innovative material and design- based technology which we are examining as a promising solution to this roadblock."
In the second contract, monitored by Air Force Research Laboratory, SemiSouth is looking at insertion of SiC RF transistors into near-term L-band missile defense radar applications.
"We are excited about the possibilities of this contract to explore proprietary SemiSouth technology as a way to accelerate the technology readiness of SiC for several key near-term radar system programs," said J.B. Casady, president and CTO of SemiSouth.
The awards represent the seventh and eighth DoD contracts in the first 18 months of operation for SemiSouth. "We are very proud of the strong faith shown in our technology by DoD sponsors," said Casady. "We are continuing to experience rapid growth in technology development, and are attracting top-flight talent to the company."
SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc, based in Starkville, MS, is a privately-held developer and manufacturer of silicon carbide electronics and electronic material. SiC is a high-power, high-temperature, high-frequency robust semiconductor being developed and brought to commercial/defense markets for new, exciting applications in radar, power conversion, and space. The company s devices manage and control or regulate power, protect against transient voltage spikes and transmit/amplify signals.
