Experimental comparison of different gate-driver configurations for parallel-connection of normally-on SiC JFETsShow others and affiliations
2012 (English)In: Conference Proceedings - 2012 IEEE 7th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference - ECCE Asia, IPEMC 2012, 2012, p. 16-22, article id 6258832Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Due to the low current ratings of the currently available silicon carbide (SiC) switches they cannot be employed in high-power converters. Thus, it is necessary to parallel-connect several switches in order to reach higher current ratings. This paper presents an investigation of parallel-connected normally-on SiC junction field effect transistors. There are four crucial parameters affecting the effectiveness of the parallel-connected switches. However, the pinch-off voltage and the reverse breakdown voltage of the gates seem to be the most important parameters which affect the switching performance of the devices. In particular, the spread in these two parameters might affect the stable off-state operation of the switches. The switching performance and the switching losses of a pair of parallel-connected devices having different reverse breakdown voltages of the gates is investigated by employing three different gate-driver configurations. It is experimentally shown that using a single gate-driver circuit the switching performance of the parallel-connected devices is almost identical, while the total switching losses are lower compared to the other two configurations.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2012. p. 16-22, article id 6258832
Keywords [en]
gate drivers, Junction Field Effect Transistor, parallel-connected switches, Silicon Carbide, Crucial parameters, Current rating, Experimental comparison, High power converters, Junction field effect transistors, Low currents, normally-ON, Parallel-connected, Pinch off voltage, Reverse breakdown voltage, Switching loss, Switching performance, Two parameter, Field effect transistors, Motion control, Power electronics, Switching
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-51748DOI: 10.1109/IPEMC.2012.6258832Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84866787241ISBN: 9781457720864 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-51748DiVA, id: diva2:1517072
Conference
2012 IEEE 7th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference - ECCE Asia, IPEMC 2012, 2 June 2012 through 5 June 2012, Harbin
2021-01-132021-01-132025-09-23Bibliographically approved