Wide bandgap (WBG) device-based power electronics converters are more efficient and lightweight than silicon-based converters. WBG devices are an enabling technology for many motor drive applications and new classes of compact and efficient motors. This paper reviews the potential applications and advances enabled by WBG devices in ac motor drives. Industrial motor drive products using WBG devices are reviewed, and the benefits are highlighted. This paper also discusses the technical challenges, converter design considerations, and design tradeoffs in realizing the full potential of WBG devices in motor drives. There is a tradeoff between high switching frequency and other issues such as high dv/dt and electromagnetic interference. The problems of high common mode currents and bearing and insulation damage, which are caused by high dv/dt , and the reliability of WBG devices are discussed.

Wide Bandgap Devices in AC Electric Drives: Opportunities and Challenges

The behavior of silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs under stressful short-circuit (SC) conditions is investigated in this paper. Two different SC failure phenomena for SiC power MOSFETs are thoroughly reported. Experimental evidence and TCAD electrothermal simulations are exploited to describe and discriminate the failure sources. Physical causes are finally investigated and explained by means of properly calibrated numerical investigations and are reported along with their effects on devices’ SC capability.

/pdf/a-comprehensive-study-of-short-circuit-ruggedness-of-silicon-1isyxadvdu.pdf

A Comprehensive Study of Short-Circuit Ruggedness of Silicon Carbide Power MOSFETs

Research on high voltage (HV) silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices has attracted much attention in recent years. This paper overviews the development and status of HV SiC devices. Meanwhile, benefits of HV SiC devices are presented. The technologies and challenges for HV SiC device application in converter design are discussed. The state-of-the-art applications of HV SiC devices are also reviewed.

/pdf/overview-of-high-voltage-sic-power-semiconductor-devices-44bk0yf8b2.pdf

Overview of high voltage sic power semiconductor devices: development and application

The synergistic integration of nanomaterials with 3D printing technologies can enable the creation of architecture and devices with an unprecedented level of functional integration. In particular, a multiscale 3D printing approach can seamlessly interweave nanomaterials with diverse classes of materials to impart, program, or modulate a wide range of functional properties in an otherwise passive 3D printed object. However, achieving such multiscale integration is challenging as it requires the ability to pattern, organize, or assemble nanomaterials in a 3D printing process. This review highlights the latest advances in the integration of nanomaterials with 3D printing, achieved by leveraging mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, or thermal phenomena. Ultimately, it is envisioned that such approaches can enable the creation of multifunctional constructs and devices that cannot be fabricated with conventional manufacturing approaches.

Nanomaterial Patterning in 3D Printing

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.35848/1882-0786/abc787/pdf

Defect engineering in SiC technology for high-voltage power devices

https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/preview/774203/SiC%20power%20MOSFETs%20performance%20robustness%20and%20technology%20maturity.pdf

SiC power MOSFETs performance, robustness and technology maturity

Failure mechanisms during short-circuit conditions of Silicon Carbide Power MOSFETs are analysed in this work, and a possible theoretical explanation is provided. Insight into the physics involved in such processes was inferred through experimental and numerical analyses. The TCAD structure used for electro-thermal simulations was calibrated to fit the I D -V GS characteristics of a commercial device. Adequate physical effects were considered, such as the presence of charges and traps at the oxide-SiC interface and their effect on threshold voltage and carrier mobility. Experimental evidences were explained by analyzing the numerical results. The high temperature reached during these operating conditions was addressed as the main cause of the device failure. The effect on the leakage current and the activation of a parasitic bipolar transistor are also shown.

Short-circuit failure mechanism of SiC power MOSFETs

This paper presents a temperature-dependent SPICE model for SiC power MOSFETs. The model describes the static and dynamic behavior and accounts for leakage current and impact ionization. The technology-dependent mosfet parameters are extracted from characterization measurements and datasheets. SPICE standard components and analog behavior modeling blocks are adopted for the model implementation. The model ensures a good agreement with experimental data over a wide temperature range, even under out-of-safe-operating-area (SOA) conditions close to the failure occurrence.

A Temperature-Dependent SPICE Model of SiC Power MOSFETs for Within and Out-of-SOA Simulations

This paper investigates the failure mechanism of SiC power MOSFETs during avalanche breakdown under unclamped inductive switching (UIS) test regime. Switches deployed within motor drive applications could experience undesired avalanche breakdown events. Therefore, avalanche ruggedness is an important feature of power devices enabling snubber-less converter design and is also a desired feature in certain applications such as automotive. It is essential to thoroughly characterize SiC power MOSFETs for better understanding of their robustness and more importantly of their corresponding underling physical mechanisms responsible for failure in order to inform device design and technology evolution. Experimental results during UIS at failure and 2D TCAD simulation results are presented in this study.

/pdf/uis-failure-mechanism-of-sic-power-mosfets-3sgp0zpijc.pdf

G. Romano

Papers

A Comprehensive Study of Short-Circuit Ruggedness of Silicon Carbide Power MOSFETs

SiC power MOSFETs performance, robustness and technology maturity

Short-circuit failure mechanism of SiC power MOSFETs

A Temperature-Dependent SPICE Model of SiC Power MOSFETs for Within and Out-of-SOA Simulations

UIS failure mechanism of SiC power MOSFETs