Using 3-D printing and novel semiconductors, researchers at
the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a power
inverter that could make electric vehicles lighter, more powerful and more
efficient.
At the core of this development is wide bandgap material
made of silicon carbide with qualities superior to standard semiconductor
materials. Power inverters convert direct current into the alternating current
that powers the vehicle. The Oak Ridge inverter achieves much higher power
density with a significant reduction in weight and volume.