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Improving the performance of SiC MOSFETs

This project investigates smaller and more efficient power converters.

Project leader

Prof Volker Pickert

Dates

October 2017 to June 2020

Project staff

Mr Xiang Wang, Dr Haimeng Wu

Sponsors

EPSRC

Description

Many electronic devices use Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs). They switch and amplify electronic signals.

SiC (Silicon Carbide) MOSFETs allow us to build smaller and more efficient power converters. But they are less reliable compared to Silicon MOSFETs. The gate driving signal for a SiC MOSFET needs to be tailored to exploit its advantages to the full.

There are two modes in the gate driving system.

In operating mode, optimised signals reduce switching oscillation as well as switching losses. In the detection mode, various detection signals for condition monitoring evaluate the health of the device.

We are investigating a fully-controlled gate driver circuit for SiC MOSFETs. The project will improve the switching transients and evaluate the condition of the device.