Performance review of state-of-the-art 1.2 kV SiC devices based on experimental figures-of-merit

Abstract Power electronic systems, such as photovoltaic inverters and drive systems, increasingly use wide bandgap semiconductors like Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide (SiC). With SiC devices widely available, many are packaged in TO-247‑4 and offer comparable on-state resistances and blocking voltages. However, supply shortages raise the question of whether devices from different manufacturers can be interchanged without design changes. This paper analyzes SiC devices from multiple manufacturers using empirical measurements in a bridge-leg configuration at voltages up to 950 V and temperatures up to 150 °C. Charge independence over junction temperature is quantified, and measurement-based Figures of Merit (FOMs) are compared. Results show similar performance in hard-switched converters with minimal overlap losses. However, in soft-switching applications, the first device achieves 1.5 times better FOM, while in high-current scenarios with significant overlap losses, the third device excels with a FOM nearly three times higher. These findings are further validated by dv/dt measurements.