Powering a greener future with silicon carbide

The University of Warwick’s ambitious STEM Connect programme, part of a landmark investment in its West Midlands campus, is shining a spotlight on pioneering research shaping the future. One such innovation lies in a material that may be unfamiliar to many, but is quietly powering a revolution in clean energy and electric transport: silicon carbide (SiC).

From electric vehicles to the National Grid, SiC has emerged as a transformational semiconductor material. Compared to traditional silicon, SiC can operate at higher voltages, temperatures and frequencies, making it a powerful enabler of energy-efficient systems. It’s one of the key reasons behind the remarkable success of electric vehicles like Tesla’s Model 3 – but its potential extends far beyond the automotive industry.

At The University of Warwick, Professor Peter Gammon has been leading UK research into SiC for over a decade, establishing the University as a hub of innovation in power electronics. His research is responding to urgent national and global priorities: how do we reduce carbon emissions, enhance the reliability of our energy infrastructure and transition to a net-zero economy?

“The potential for silicon carbide is vast,” says Professor Gammon. “It enables faster, smaller and more efficient power conversion – not just in electric vehicles, but in renewable energy, data centres, industrial machines and even aerospace applications.”

The global market for SiC power devices surged to $2.7 billion in 2023, a testament to its growing importance. Yet, as Professor Gammon notes, SiC is still in its infancy compared to traditional silicon, which still dominates the power electronics landscape. His group’s research is tackling this head-on, working in state-of-the-art cleanrooms found in Warwick’s School of Engineering to expand the use of SiC in new and demanding environments.

“The potential for silicon carbide is vast"

Professor Peter Gammon

Their work spans across two critical areas:

First, advancing existing SiC MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) technology through innovative device design and fabrication techniques. These efforts aim to overcome challenges in cost, yield and reliability – thereby lowering the barriers for SiC adoption for international manufacturers of electric vehicles, solar and wind farms, and key electrification applications.
Second, Professor Gammon’s team is pushing the boundaries of where SiC can be used. From designing radiation-hardened devices for space missions to developing ultra-high voltage architectures for grid applications, the research is opening up new markets for this remarkable material.

Crucially, this work is done in close partnership with industry. Professor Gammon’s team collaborates across the SiC supply chain – from chipmakers and materials specialists to automotive companies – ensuring their breakthroughs are not just theoretical, but ready to deliver real-world impact.

Professor Gammon’s work in SiC was recently given a boost by a major intervention by UKRI. One of the first interventions from the UK Government’s National Semiconductor Strategy was to fund the REWIRE Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC)Link opens in a new window – a major £11.7m investment from UKRI that seeks to unlock the commercial potential of SiC, and other wide bandgap materials, for power electronics applications. REWIRE’s particular focus is on unlocking the commercial potential of wide bandgap semiconductors, leveraging the world-leading research found in labs such as Professor Gammon’s for the benefit of UK industry and enabling high growth, high-tech startups.

By driving forward advances in SiC technology, Professor Gammon’s team is helping to place the UK at the forefront of this global market and ensuring the innovation happening on campus translates into real-world impact.

As part of The University of Warwick’s STEM Connect programme, this research highlights the institution’s commitment to advancing interdisciplinary innovation with real-world relevance. By addressing national and global priorities, such as clean energy transition, high-tech growth and infrastructure resilience, the University is helping to secure the UK’s position in a strategically critical global industry.