Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Comparison of Wide-band-gap Technologies for Soft-Switching Losses at High Frequencies
 
research article

Comparison of Wide-band-gap Technologies for Soft-Switching Losses at High Frequencies

Jafari, Armin  
•
Samizadeh, Mohammad  
•
Perera, Nirmana  
Show more
April 27, 2020
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics

Soft-switching power converters based on wide-band-gap (WBG) transistors offer superior efficiency and power density advantages. However, at high frequencies, loss behavior varies significantly between different WBG technologies. This includes losses related to conduction and dynamic ON-resistance (R $_{DS(ON)}$ ) degradation, also charging/discharging of input capacitance (C $_ISS$ ) and output capacitance (C $OSS$ ). As datasheets lack such important information, we present measurement techniques and evaluation methods for soft-switching losses in WBG transistors which enable a detailed loss-breakdown analysis. We estimate the gate loss under soft-switching conditions using a simple small-signal measurement. Next, we use Sawyer-Tower (ST) and Nonlinear Resonance (NR) methods to measure large-signal C $OSS$ energy losses up to 40 MHz. Finally, we investigate the dependence of dynamic R ${DS(ON)}$ degradation on OFF-state voltage using pulsed-IV measurements. We demonstrate an insightful comparison of soft-switching losses for various normally-OFF Gallium-Nitride (GaN) and Silicon-Carbide (SiC) devices. A p-GaN-gated device exhibits the most severe R ${DS(ON)}$ degradation and the lowest gate loss. Cascode arrangement increases threshold voltage for GaN devices and reduces gate losses in SiC transistors; however, it leads to higher C $_OSS$ losses. The study facilitates the evaluation of system losses and selection of efficient WBG devices based on the trade-offs between various sources of losses at high frequencies.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1109/TPEL.2020.2990628
Author(s)
Jafari, Armin  
Samizadeh, Mohammad  
Perera, Nirmana  
Yildirim, Halil Kerim  
Karakaya, Furkan
Soleiman Zadeh Ardebili, Reza  
Matioli, Elison  
Date Issued

2020-04-27

Published in
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
Start page

1

End page

1

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
POWERLAB  
Available on Infoscience
April 28, 2020
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/168425
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés