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Silicon Carbide MOSFET-based Full-Bridge for Fusion Science Applications

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-SC0011907
Agency Tracking Number: 212251
Amount: $149,959.54
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 16d
Solicitation Number: DE-FOA-0001046
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2014
Award Year: 2014
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2014-06-09
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2015-03-08
Small Business Information
119 West Denny Way
Seattle, WA 98119-4205
United States
DUNS: 625349639
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Timothy Ziemba
 Dr.
 () -
 ziemba@eagleharbortech.com
Business Contact
 Timothy Ziemba
Title: Dr.
Phone: (206) 402-5241
Email: ziemba@eagleharbortech.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

Switching power amplifiers (SPAs) have a wide variety of applications within the fusion science community, including feedback and control systems for dynamic plasma stabilization in tokamaks, inductive and arc plasma sources, Radio Frequency (RF) helicity and flux injection, RF plasma heating and current drive schemes, ion beam generation, and RF pre-ionizer systems. SiC MOSFETs offer many advantages over IGBTs including lower drive energy requirements, lower conduction and switching losses, and higher switching frequency capabilities. When comparing SiC and traditional silicon-based MOSFETs, SiC MOSFETs provide higher current carrying capability allowing for smaller package weights and sizes and lower operating temperature. Eagle Harbor Technologies (EHT) is proposing to design, construct, and test a SiC MOSFET-based full- bridge SPA. EHT will leverage the proprietary gate drive technology previously developed with the support of a DOE SBIR, which will enable fast, efficient switching in a small form factor. The Helicity Injected Torus (HIT) team will test the SPA in a validation platform experiment. The primary goal of the Phase I program is to develop a SiC MOSFET-based SPA for fusion science applications. EHT will work with HIT to develop a specifications document to assure the SPA will be suitable for validation platform experiments. EHT will SPICE model, design the circuit board and select components. Once all of the materials are in house, EHT will build and bench test the SPA. The last objective is to begin the design of a complete helicity injector power supply based on the SPA that will be built and tested in a potential Phase II program. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The goal of the proposed Phase I program is to develop the next generation SiC MOSFET-based full-bridge switching power amplifier. These SiC MOSFET-based SPAs will allow for higher frequency switching ( & gt;1 MHz) capabilities at high power in a compact form factor and low switching losses. While this device is being designed for fusion science applications, similar devices are used in other areas including linear particle accelerator supplies, high voltage ion implantation supplies, RF cyclotron power supplies, high power pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifiers, and high power trigger systems. Additionally, these switching power amplifiers have use in power converters including inverters, DC-DC converters, and active rectifiers.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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