STMicroelectronics and Airbus collaborate to develop aircraft SiC/GaN devices

     Airbus and ST have signed an agreement to collaborate on power electronics research and development to support more efficient and lighter power electronic devices. The collaboration will focus on developing SiC and GaN devices, packages and modules suitable for Airbus aerospace applications.

     Airbus Chief Technology Officer Sabine Klauke said: "The combination of ST's power electronics expertise with Airbus' aircraft and VTOL electrification will accelerate the achievement of the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft as well as fully electric urban air mobility.

     No details were provided about the time frame or amount the two companies will spend on the program. The work will include the development of motor control units, high - and low-voltage power converters, and wireless power transmission systems, the companies said.

     For Airbus, bringing semiconductor materials such as SiC and GaN into aircraft is an important step in decarbonizing flight, and Airbus is currently exploring a hybrid electric propulsion technology to improve the energy efficiency of aircraft while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The introduction of wide bandgap semiconductor devices such as SiC and GaN can allow aircraft electrical systems to achieve great improvements in integration, performance, efficiency, and component size and weight.

     As the world's leading commercial airliner, Airbus has been committed to the layout of SiC and GaN materials over the past many years, and it has cooperated with the Rheinland University in Germany to study how to use GaN semiconductor technology to improve the efficiency and performance of avionics. In addition, its GAINS project, funded by the European Union and with the participation of ST and others, aims to use GaN technology to improve the efficiency and performance of aircraft power transmission and control systems.

     In the SiC field, Airbus has partnered with CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) in France to carry out research on silicon carbide materials and explore their potential applications in the aerospace sector. In addition, SiC devices are used in the power system of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to reduce the weight of the aircraft and improve fuel efficiency.

     In addition to being used in power electronics systems, SiC is also used in fuselage materials, such as Airbus's light helicopter H160, which uses the main rotor blade made of silicon carbide ceramic composite material in the design. The use of this material can reduce weight, improve efficiency, and provide better durability and corrosion resistance.

     In addition, SiC fiber ceramics are also used in the engines of Airbus A320 NEO aircraft. In 2017, Japan also developed a SiC composite material that is twice as strong as ordinary alloys, 20% more heat resistant, and two-thirds lighter.

     Due to the high temperature resistance, lightweight, high power density and high frequency characteristics of SiC, it has become an ideal choice for avionics systems, the cooperation between ST and Airbus is the first exploration of SiC application in aircraft, and the future with the continuous development and maturity of SiC technology, the application of SiC in aircraft will be further promoted and applied.