Performance Evaluation of SiC MOSFET-Based Half-Bridge Converters Under Dynamic Voltage Clamp Limits
Conference: PCIM Europe 2022 - International Exhibition and Conference for Power Electronics, Intelligent Motion, Renewable Energy and Energy Management
05/10/2022 - 05/12/2022 at Nürnberg, Germany
doi:10.30420/565822149
Proceedings: PCIM Europe 2022
Pages: 9Language: englishTyp: PDF
Authors:
Salvo, Luciano; Occhipinti, Fabio; Pulvirenti, Mario; Raffa, Alessandra; Zanetti, Edoardo; Sciacca, Angelo G.; Nania, Massimo; Montoro, Gionatan (STMicroelectronics, Italy)
Abstract:
This paper describes how to analyze the drain-source voltage clamp limits of SiC MOSFET devices working on a half-bridge converter. During the device switching off, the presence of parasitic inductances can cause oscillations of the drain-source voltage oscillations, may dynamically exceed the voltage breakdown limit value and worsen the converter performance. The experimental tests carried out for analyzing the dynamic voltage clamp demonstrate a significant increase of the turn-off switching losses, due to the abnormal switching behavior that requires longer time for turning off the device. This effect is explained by means of a physical simulation conducted on TCAD(r), with the scope of identifying the extra current contribution which, in addition to the channel’s one, is responsible for the slower turn-off transient.