Boosting Reliability: A Comparative Study of Silicon Carbide (Sic) and Silicon (Si) in Boost Converter Design Using MIL-HDBK-217 Standards

Abstract

Reliability is very important in the world of electronic device design and production, particularly in applications where continuous and flawless performance is a necessity. This directs our attention to the boost converter, which forms the foundation of power electronics, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles. However, as technology progresses, the choice of materials for these converters is a big challenge. For that, in this paper, the impact of using Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices, with their promising material properties, on the reliability of boost converters is presented. Because the results showed that more than 80% of boost converter failures are caused by semiconductors, the use of SiC materials is assessed by determining its reliability using MIL-HDBK-217 standard. In addition, a comparative study with the use of traditional Silicon (Si) is conducted. The results showed that the failure rate of boost converters based on SiC devices reduced from 8.335 failure/10-6h to 6.243 failure/10-6h. This notable shift in failure rates establishes SiC as a pivotal material in the evolution of boost converter technology, offering a compelling solution to address the persistent challenges associated with semiconductor-related failures.