SILICON CARBIDE HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER SWITCHES | W911NF17S0003 SCHVPS

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF17S0003 SCHVPS

The SILICON CARBIDE HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER SWITCHES (HVPS) opportunity is a U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) applied research solicitation released through the ARL Core Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911NF-17-S-0003, under the Materials Research (MR) Campaign, Topic L (Energy and Power), Sub-topic i (Wide Band-Gap Power Devices). The Army, via the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground (Research Triangle Park Division), is looking for proposals that push silicon carbide (SiC) device design and fabrication beyond the current state of the art for high-voltage applications, especially around 10 kV-class switching. The emphasis is on showing a credible technical path to higher current density at high efficiency, larger die size, higher switching frequency, and higher blocking voltage, with relevance to both low-duty-cycle and high-duty-cycle operation.

The government rationale is that SiC is positioned as the leading wide bandgap alternative to conventional silicon power electronics because of its superior electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. In practical terms, ARL notes that SiC devices have already demonstrated more than double the power density of silicon devices, along with better efficiency, which matters for compact, rugged military power systems as well as commercial high-voltage power conversion. This HVPS program is also framed as a continuation of earlier ARL-backed efforts (including HEPS and HVPT) that demonstrated robust performance at 10 kV and above. A major goal is not only to deliver better devices, but also to identify the specific technical bottlenecks (materials, processing, design, reliability, packaging interfaces) that still limit domestic capability and that might need longer-term investment later.

Technically, ARL is seeking development of SiC high-voltage (about 10 kV and above) semiconductor switches and diodes for two distinct use cases: continuous power and pulse power. For continuous power, proposals can target either (1) single-die 10 kV to 15 kV SiC MOSFETs rated around 10 to 20 A, optionally with an integrated Schottky diode, or (2) SiC IGBTs aimed at even higher single-die blocking voltage performance. If proposing MOSFETs without an integrated Schottky diode, applicants are expected to directly address reliability concerns with the intrinsic body diode. For IGBTs, ARL is looking for single-die blocking voltages exceeding 20 kV with low leakage (less than 10 microamps as written), continuous collector current greater than 30 A at a 20 V gate drive, and an associated VCE(on) under 5 V. Additional desired IGBT attributes include operation above 20 kHz, robust edge termination, high dv/dt survivability (greater than 200 kV per microsecond at 18 kV), short-circuit robustness above 100 A, and large chip areas greater than 1 cm2. Complementary Junction-Barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes are also part of the target set, with single-die blocking voltages over 10 kV, leakage under 10 microamps as written, and current ratings above 30 A; these diodes should also be tuned to the IGBT turn-on behavior to achieve soft recovery. Across continuous-power devices, ARL expects turn-off capability at the maximum conduction current rating and reliable operation up to 175 C junction temperature, reflecting harsh-use military environments.

For pulse-power needs, ARL is asking for compact wide bandgap pulse switches optimized for the highest practical efficiency while remaining reliable through multi-pulse pulse trains until the junction temperature limit is reached. The focus here is on bipolar pulse devices such as thyristors with accompanying PiN diodes, capable of blocking 12 kV to 20 kV DC and handling very high pulse currents in the 5 to 10 kA range for short pulse duty (noted as 10 microseconds). These devices are expected to run at high current density (at or above 5 kA/cm2 total chip area) in a 70 C ambient environment, with a minimum life of 10,000 shots under those conditions. Beyond raw voltage and current, ARL highlights practical pulse-switch behavior that often determines success in real circuits: minimal turn-on delay, fast and uniform spreading of transient current across large-area devices (low lateral impedance) for high di/dt conditions, uniform high-current distribution, and consistent on-state behavior from device to device. Uniformity is called out as critical for yield and for enabling series/parallel stacking in real power modules, with parameters like turn-on delay, minimum holding current, and on-resistance (with a target value stated as less than or equal to 30 milliohm-cm2 at current density greater than or equal to 3 kA/cm2). The solicitation also encourages contact metallization layouts that keep packaging options open (wire bonding, solder attach, pressure contact, and other experimental approaches).

A recurring requirement across the effort is that proposals must grapple with manufacturability inputs that are often the limiting factor for high-voltage SiC: the cost and availability of commercial SiC substrates and the availability of high-quality thick epitaxial layers (roughly 100 microns or more) needed for these blocking voltages. ARL is effectively signaling that device concepts should be grounded in realistic starting materials and supply constraints, not only idealized designs. As performers provide device deliverables, the government plans to characterize them to understand the true state of the art and to populate demonstration circuits aimed at Army needs. ARL also states that there will be no equipment purchases with federal funds under awards made from this special notice, which means the work is expected to rely on existing fabrication, characterization, and testing infrastructure (whether in-house, institutional, or through foundry/partner access paid via other means).

On the award side, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which is structured for collaborative R and D rather than procurement of a product or service for direct government use. ARL expects to actively participate through joint planning and execution, leveraging internal teams such as Device Reliability Physics and Pulse Switches and Circuit groups. ARL will also stress and evaluate delivered devices under Army-specific circuit conditions and share electrical/physical response data back to the recipients, with the intent of iterating on device design, processing steps, and starting material choices to improve performance. The opportunity was open to unrestricted eligible applicants (subject to BAA eligibility language), with evaluation handled under the BAA criteria rather than a separate process, and no formal QA under this special notice.

Funding availability at the time of the announcement was described as up to three cooperative agreements for FY 2018, with the government reserving the right to make fewer or no awards. The anticipated total funding level was about $2,000,000 per year across all awards, for up to three years (a base year plus two option years), contingent on funds. Proposals were expected to include a detailed technical plan and budget for year one and a description of the anticipated effort for the two option years. Cost sharing was not required, but if offered it would be considered to the extent it strengthened the proposal relative to the BAA evaluation factors, and applicants were expected to show a firm commitment and a clear plan to integrate the cost share into the research effort.

Administratively, this special notice tied to BAA W911NF-17-S-0003 required submission in accordance with the BAA instructions, with a hard deadline of October 6, 2017 (11:59 PM EDT) for eligibility under the FY 2018 funding associated with the notice, even though the overarching BAA topic remained open for longer. Technical questions were directed to Dr. Aivars Lelis, and general assistance to Julia Wertley-Rotenberry, with an explicit request that applicants notify both contacts when a submission is made. The posting lists the opportunity number as W911NF17S0003 SCHVPS, CFDA 12.431, under the Department of Defense, Department of the Army (Materiel Command), and classifies the activity as science and technology and other research and development.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SILICON CARBIDE HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER SWITCHES" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 07, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 06, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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