SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc., the leading manufacturer of silicon carbide (SiC) transistor technology for high-power, high-efficiency, harsh-environment power management and conversion applications, has launched a new family of low cost SiC JFETs with very good linearity targeted at high-end audio applications.

 

Types SJEP120R100A and SJEP120R063A are claimed to offer a very good linearity and best-in-class distortion.  Compatible with standard gate driver ICs, both versions feature a positive temperature coefficient for ease of paralleling; extremely fast switching with no’tail’ current at up to a maximum operating temperature of 150 degC and a low RDS(on) max of 0.100 Ω and 0.063 Ω respectively.  Devices are available in TO-247 packages; the 100 mΩ part is also available in die form for integration into modules.

 

Comments Nelson Pass, founder of leading audio amplifier manufacturer Nelson Pass, Inc., “Over the last forty years I have greatly appreciated the qualities of lower power JFETs in audio circuits, and experimenting with the few examples of ‘unobtainable’ power JFETs has convinced me of their great potential.  With the new SiC power JFETs from SemiSouth, this potential has been realized in reliable linear power amplifiers.  In push-pull topologies, they exhibit a 50% to 70% improvement in distortion, and in single-ended circuits the improvement has been nearly ten-fold.  Currently we profitably produce a small high-end audio amplifier using the SJEP120R100A devices and are engaged in developing other higher power amplifiers using this and the SJDP120R085 depletion mode devices.”

 

Comments Dieter Liesabeths, SemiSouth’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “These parts are especially suitable for high end audio amplifier designs which demand the best linearity performance and lower distortion.  Compared to conventional SiC JFET for power applications, the prices for these audio parts has been reduced by about 15% in order to meet the demand of customers.”