Editing Power semiconductor device (section)

===Wide band-gap semiconductors===

The major breakthrough in power semiconductor devices is expected from the replacement of silicon by a wide band-gap semiconductor. At the moment, [[silicon carbide]] (SiC) is considered to be the most promising. A SiC Schottky diode with a breakdown voltage of 1200&nbsp;V is commercially available, as is a 1200&nbsp;V [[JFET]]. As both are majority carrier devices, they can operate at high speed. A bipolar device is being developed for higher voltages (up to 20&nbsp;kV). Among its advantages, silicon carbide can operate at a higher temperature (up to 400&nbsp;°C) and has a lower [[thermal resistance]] than silicon, allowing for better cooling.