This invention presents a novel active current source gate driver (ACSD) for improving the switching performance of silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFTEs. The proposed driver provides a constant current during the switching transitions which allows the fast turning on and off of the semiconductor device. One of the major concerns due to the fast switching of these devices is the generation of high dv/dt and di/dt. Furthermore, its interaction with the circuit parasitic results in severe oscillations, overshoots and EMI. The ability of the proposed ACSD to allow the gate voltage decrement for short time can provide control over the current and voltage slew rates. The reduction in the voltage and current slopes further suppress the overshoots, oscillations and limits the EMI when compared to the conventional gate drivers. This invention presents the detailed operation of the proposed ACSD and is also experimentally verified by performing double pulse tests (DPT). A reduction in overshoot of 30% and 32% in voltage and current is observed with reduced oscillations. Further, the frequency spectrum obtained proves the efficacy of the proposed ACSD in achieving low EMI.
Type of IP
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The proposed solution can provide a drastic reduction in losses in the power converter. Also, the current source ability allows the faster switching and leads to high power dense solution.
- Reduced and controlled slew rates (dv/dt and di/dt): The gate voltage decrement features provide controlled gate voltage.
- High switching frequency capability with reduced losses.
- Low EMI: The reduces oscillations in the device voltage and current will lowers the occurrence of EMI in the circuit.
- All applications using power semiconductor switches such as MOSFETs, IGBTs.
- Reduced and controlled slew rates (dv/dt and di/dt): The gate voltage decrement features provide controlled gate voltage.
- High switching frequency capability with reduced losses.
- Low EMI: The reduces oscillations in the device voltage and current will lowers the occurrence of EMI in the circuit.
- All applications using power semiconductor switches such as MOSFETs, IGBTs.
3
Prototype has been developed and validated.
- Testing results: A reduction in overshoot of 30% and 32% in voltage and current is observed with reduced oscillations.
Semiconductor devices manufacturing industries, power electronic converter manufacturing industries.
Driving any power semiconductor switches such as MOSFETs and IGBTs.