Mind the (Band) gap! Evolving power electronics materials landscape

Since the development of power diodes and thyristors in the 1950s, silicon has been the long-standing dominant material for power electronics across applications ranging from electric vehicles to wind turbines. However, the emergence of wide bandgap semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) has enabled industry to push to higher voltages and smaller form factors, while increasing efficiency and maintaining reliability. At the same time, early-stage research into the