Gate driver

About: Gate driver is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7532 publications have been published within this topic receiving 75854 citations.

IR Camera Validation of IGBT Junction Temperature Measurement via Peak Gate Current

Abstract: Infrared measurements are used to assess the measurement accuracy of the peak gate current (I GPeak ) method for Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)junction temperature measurement. Single IGBT chips with the gate pad in both the center and the edge are investigated, along with paralleled chips, as well as chips suffering partial bondwire lift-off. Results are also compared with a traditional electrical temperature measurement method: the voltage drop under low current (V CE (low ) ). In all cases, the IG Peak method is found to provide a temperature slightly overestimating the temperature of the gate pad. Consequently, both the gate pad position and chip temperature distribution influence whether the measurement is representative of the mean junction temperature. These results remain consistent after chips are degraded through bondwire lift-off. In a paralleled IGBT configuration with nonnegligible temperature disequilibrium between chips, the I GPeak method delivers a measurement based on the average temperature of the gate pads.

A High Temperature Silicon Carbide mosfet Power Module With Integrated Silicon-On-Insulator-Based Gate Drive

Abstract: This paper presents a board-level integrated silicon carbide (SiC) mosfet power module for high temperature and high power density application. Specifically, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based gate driver capable of operating at 200 °C ambient temperature is designed and fabricated. The sourcing and sinking current capability of the gate driver are tested under various ambient temperatures. Also, a 1200 V/100 A SiC mosfet phase-leg power module is developed utilizing high temperature packaging technologies. The static characteristics, switching performance, and short-circuit behavior of the fabricated power module are fully evaluated at different temperatures. Moreover, a buck converter prototype composed of the SOI gate driver and SiC power module is built for high temperature continuous operation. The converter is operated at different switching frequencies up to 100 kHz, with its junction temperature monitored by a thermosensitive electrical parameter and compared with thermal simulation results. The experimental results from the continuous operation demonstrate the high temperature capability of the power module at a junction temperature greater than 225 °C.

Gate and Base Drivers for Silicon Carbide Power Transistors: An Overview

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) power transistors have started gaining significant importance in various application areas of power electronics. During the last decade, SiC power transistors were counted not only as a potential, but also more importantly as an alternative to silicon counterparts in applications where high efficiency, high switching frequencies, and operation at elevated temperatures are targeted. Various SiC device designs have been proposed and excessive investigations in terms of simulation and experimental studies have shown their advantageous performance compared to silicon technology. On a system-level, however, the design of gate and base drivers for SiC power transistors is very challenging. In particular, a sophisticated driver design is not only associated with properly switching the transistor and decreasing the switching power losses, but also it must incorporate protection features, as well as comply with the electromagnetic compatibility. This paper shows an overview of the gate and base drivers for SiC power transistors which have been proposed by several highly qualified scientists. In particular, the basic operating principle of each driver along with their applicability and drawbacks are presented. For this overview, the three most successful SiC power transistors are considered: junction-field-effect transistors, bipolar-junction transistors, and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. Last but not least, future challenges on gate and base drivers design are also presented.

A new MOSFET & IGBT gate drive insulated by a piezoelectric transformer

Abstract: In this paper, a new gate drive for MOSFET'S and IGBT'S is presented based on the use of a piezoelectric transformer. The characterisation of the transformer and the analysis of the energy transferred to the grid of the transistor are achieved in order to determine the optimal physical structure of the transformer. Satisfactory results have been obtained in driving a 6A/100V/10kHz chopper.

Insulated gate bipolar transistor power module

Abstract: A power module contains IGBT die along with integrated circuit driver chips and opto isolators or isolation transformers within the same module housing. Output terminals are provided which can be interfaced directly to control logic or microprocessors for operating the module. The IGBTs may have current-sensing electrodes to simplify current measurement and control functions.