In a significant stride for power electronics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has unveiled an automated testing system specially designed for semiconductor devices, according to their recent announcement. This pioneering system promises to enhance the capability of the GRID-C, giving researchers and industry partners unprecedented access to advanced diagnostics and efficiency in semiconductor testing.
Semiconductors, critical components in managing the flow of electricity from sources like solar panels and the electric grid to end-users, including households and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, now benefit from ORNL's ability to evaluate new devices that manage up to 10,000 volts or 2,000 amps across a spectrum of operating conditions; this encompasses varied voltages, currents and temperatures, with this groundbreaking technology safety collects and analyzes hundreds of data points in minutes instead of hours, a stark comparison to traditional methodologies.
Prasad Kandula, the ORNL project lead, highlighted the significance of the laboratory's capabilities, noting, "These capabilities are pretty advanced, even without automation," as per the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. "Very few facilities have this capability, and it’s not a service offered commercially. We can help companies and researchers quickly get a full idea of how products are going to work for different applications."
