# Silicon Carbide Power Semiconductors for High Power and Temperature Applications
**URL:** https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/silicon-carbide-power-semiconductors-for-high-power-and-temperature-applications/1718
**Category:** Tracking with Closeups
**Tags:** tesla, silicon-carbide, power-electronics
**Created:** [20 July 2022 14:27 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/silicon-carbide-power-semiconductors-for-high-power-and-temperature-applications/1718 "2022-07-20T14:27:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@johnwalker](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/u/johnwalker)
#### Post date: [20 July 2022 14:27 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/silicon-carbide-power-semiconductors-for-high-power-and-temperature-applications/1718/1 "2022-07-20T14:27:25Z")
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHn_LvwQMcg)
Silicon carbide has long been a curiosity in the semiconductor world, with its large band gap, high temperature tolerance, and high heat conductivity making it seem attractive for power control applications. Tesla’s adopting it for the Model 3 inverter has suddenly made the technology a credible contender for its application niches.
---
### Author:  [@jabowery](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/u/jabowery)
#### Post date: [24 February 2023 21:54 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/silicon-carbide-power-semiconductors-for-high-power-and-temperature-applications/1718/2 "2023-02-24T21:54:30Z")
Among the last stages of an “educational ontogeny should recapitulate technological phylogeny” curriculum is transistor fabrication. However, in attempting to come up with something for this stage (targeting home schools) zone refinement of silicon has been particularly daunting. I’m starting to wonder if SiC may be the way forward.
---
### Author:  [@johnwalker](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/u/johnwalker)
#### Post date: [24 February 2023 23:37 UTC](https://scanalyst.fourmilab.ch/t/silicon-carbide-power-semiconductors-for-high-power-and-temperature-applications/1718/3 "2023-02-24T23:37:39Z")
> [@jabowery](#):
>
> However, in attempting to come up with something for this stage (targeting home schools) zone refinement of silicon has been particularly daunting. I’m starting to wonder if SiC may be the way forward.
One problem with [silicon carbide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_carbide) is that its melting point is 3100° K, almost twice that of silicon (1687° K). Processes such as zone refining to make pure material are going to be more challenging than for silicon. I don’t know if there is an industrial source of silicon carbide which would be sufficiently pure to make transistors on an artisanal scale.