COMPARISON ENGINE
Silicon vs Superjunction vs SiC vs GaN.
No single technology wins everywhere. Compare the physics, voltage range, switching behavior, cost position and system-level fit.
| Attribute | Planar Si | Si SJ | SiC | GaN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical strength | Cost / simplicity | High-voltage silicon efficiency | High voltage + fast switching | Very high frequency / integration |
| Charge engineering | Conventional drift | P/N charge balance | Wide-bandgap + emerging SJ | Polarization / heterostructure options |
| Typical high-voltage role | Legacy / cost-sensitive | PFC, LLC, offline SMPS | EV, solar, storage, industrial | High-frequency power conversion |
| Main design concern | RDS(on) vs BV | Charge balance / dynamic loss | Gate drive, reliability, cost | Dynamic RON, trapping, packaging |
Use SJ when…
You need high-voltage silicon performance in a mature, cost-sensitive offline converter.
Use SiC when…
High voltage, temperature, switching frequency and system efficiency justify the material premium.
Use GaN when…
High-frequency operation, low parasitics and compact integration are dominant requirements.