Soft-Switching Losses in GaN and SiC Power Transistors Based on New Calorimetric Measurements

摘要

The use of modern GaN and SiC power semiconductors in soft-switching power electronic applications makes it possible to minimize switching losses and to achieve a significant increase in power density. However, the loss mechanisms in soft-switching operation of power semiconductors are poorly under-stood and electrical measurements of these losses are affected by a large error. Therefore calorimetric measuring methods are becoming state of the art for determining soft-switching losses. This paper for the first time presents empirical power dissipation data for high voltage GaN and SiC power semiconductors of low power class at application-oriented switching frequencies for zero voltage switching (ZVS) operation. The losses were measured using a transient calorimetric measurement setup with the goal of determining also low power dissipation with high accuracy while maintaining the application-oriented commutation cell layout.