Over the next few months, we will be diving into the world of MOSFETs & IGBTs together:
- In the first part, we go back in time, starting with the beginnings and taking a look at the success factors.
- The second part provides you with industry information in the form of interviews with our experts from SilverMicro, Dr. Michael Zhuang and SemiQ, Chip Brakeville, who give us insights into future scenarios and upcoming developments.
- Finally, we look at the product area and the appropriate providers to round off your portfolio.
How it all began
The history of power semiconductors includes groundbreaking discoveries, innovations and technological breakthroughs. Today, among the many types of power semiconductors, IGBTs and MOSFETs have established themselves as cornerstones in modern electronics: Their development has revolutionized the performance of electronic devices and power conversion systems.
Let's take a look back in time.
The first MOSFET is developed
In the late 1950s, researchers began to investigate transistors based on semiconductor materials. The development of the MOSFET was driven by the work of William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, who invented the first bipolar transistor at Bell Laboratories in 1947. This discovery paved the way for further advances in the semiconductor industry.
However, the real breakthrough came a little later in the 1960s, when Mohamed Atalla and Dawon Kahng, also at Bell Laboratories, developed the MOSFET. Compared to the bipolar transistors commonly used at the time, the component was more efficient and had a lower power consumption. These properties made it ideal for use in integrated circuits and led to its rapid spread in the electronics industry.
In the following decades, MOSFETs were further improved and optimized, which led to a continuous increase in their performance. They became an indispensable component of microprocessors, memory chips, power converters and many other electronic devices and are indispensable today.
How the first IGBT was created
While MOSFETs had been used successfully in many applications for many years, they were now reaching their limits. Especially in high-performance applications that required high voltages and currents, the MOSFET was no longer enough. This realization ushered in the age of the IGBT some 20 years after the invention of the MOSFET.
In response to the demand for more powerful switches for power converters and inverters, the development of the IGBT began in the 1980s. The IGBT combines the advantages of MOSFETs and bipolar transistors, making it ideal for the requirements of the market.
Akira Nakagawa and his team at Mitsubishi Electric achieved the breakthrough in the development of the IGBT: in 1982, they presented the first functional IGBT, which revolutionized power electronics. As a new type of semiconductor, the IGBT quickly established itself in applications in electromobility, renewable energies and industrial automation.
The future of IGBTs und MOSFETs
Today, IGBTs and MOSFETs are widely used. MOSFETs are generally used in lower power ranges, while IGBTs are indispensable in many high-power applications. Their continuous development and improvement are crucial for progress in important areas such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, industrial automation or power grid stability.
Continuous innovation and technological progress have been key to the success of MOSFETs and IGBTs throughout their history. Their creation and further development created the basis for today's modern power electronics and will continue to play a key role in the electronics industry in the future.
Influence the present for a powerful future!
Equipped with our portfolio of MOSFETs & IGBTs, you can exploit the potential of a secure supply chain today. Unleash the full power with our IGBTs, SiC MOSFETs and diodes from our partners SemiQ, SilverMicro and GeneSiC and find the right component for your application now with the help of our component guide, the product list:
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