Computational Efficiency Analysis of a Compact Behavioral SiC SPICE Model

Inhalt:
The accelerating commercialization of wide bandgap technology has led to increased demand for accurate circuit-level simulation models of devices such as Silicon-Carbide (SiC) MOSFET power modules. These models assist with system design challenges such as minimizing overshoot and electromagnetic interference (EMI) associated with wide bandgap (WBG) switching speeds. Accurately predicting the device edge rates is critical to these simulations and requires more detailed and advanced modeling techniques than slower Silicon (Si) semiconductors. However, the increased complexity necessary to capture these behaviors presents challenges with the computational efficiency and convergence behavior of the model. This paper presents an efficient and robust compact behavioral SPICE model for Wolfspeed power module devices. Advancements in the transistor and packaging implementations allows for the modeling of complex device behaviors such as reverse recovery, shortchannel effects, baseplate capacitance, and electro-thermal simulations while converging quickly in complex circuit topologies. In this paper, the parameters of the model are tuned to a SiC MOSFET power module, in which good agreement is observed for the forward, transfer, third quadrant, and capacitancevoltage (CV) characteristics. The described model is then empirically validated using double pulse test experiments across a wide range of operating conditions. Finally, a runtime analysis study demonstrates that the proposed model converges faster than four competing commercially available SiC MOSFET models.