Characterization of sic power devices for dualactive bridge converter

Abstract

Double pulse testers are required for extraction of switching energies and waveforms of power devices. With the increasing adoption of wide bandgap semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) comes an increasing need for the creation of double pulse testers and associated procedures capable of testing fast switching speeds. To date, many papers involving double pulse test setups have been published. However, these papers tend to focus on the results of the characterisation rather than the technical aspects of the experimental setup itself. In this paper, the characterisation procedure and practical considerations of a double pulse tester are presented in detail. Practical considerations involving the testing of fast switches like SiC MOSFETs are also reviewed and highlighted.