Integrating the New 2D — Short circuit detection method into a power module with a power supply fed by the gate voltage

Abstract

Increasing the channel width of an IGBT is an obvious method in order to decrease the on-state losses significantly due to the lower V ce , sat -value. The accordingly higher desaturation current leads to the development of faster short circuit detection methods, such as the new 2D — short circuit detection method, which is able to detect a fault event far ahead of the desaturation process of the power semiconductor. This paper presents how the 2D — short circuit detection method is able to detect and control a short circuit failure for IGBTs with an increased channel width by using a circuit design which does not need any external power supply. Therefore, the opportunity and advantages of integrating a short circuit protection into a power module with IGBTs with a high desaturation current is shown.