Airbus, an aerospace company, and STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor manufacturer, have partnered on power electronics R&D for future hybrid-powered aircraft and full-electric urban air vehicles.

The collaboration builds on previous evaluations of wide bandgap semiconductor materials for aircraft electrification by both companies. The partnership will develop silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices, packages and modules for Airbus aerospace applications. E-motor control units, high- and low-voltage power converters and wireless power transfer systems will be used to test these components. Wide bandgap semiconductors like SiC and GaN are known to outperform silicon in electrical properties and can perform better in high-power, high-frequency or high-temperature applications.

“This collaboration with STMicroelectronics, a global leader in power semiconductors and wide bandgap technologies, will be key to support Airbus’s electrification roadmap,” said Sabine Klauke, Airbus’s Chief Technical Officer. “Leveraging their expertise and experience in power electronics for automotive and industrial applications with our own record in aircraft and VTOL electrification will help us accelerate the development of the disruptive technologies required for the ZEROe roadmap and CityAirbus NextGen.”

Source: Airbus