High Current Capability Research Articles

Characteristics of a 1200 V Hybrid Power Switch Comprising a Si IGBT and a SiC MOSFET

Hybrid Power Switches (HPS) combine the advantages of SiC unipolar and Si bipolar devices and therefore can bridge the gap between these technologies. In this paper, the performance of a hybrid power switch configuration based on the latest SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT technologies is presented. The device is evaluated through experimental measurements of its characteristics under various conditions. The results show the HPS can achieve switching losses as low as a SiC MOSFET while offering the high current capability of the IGBT without significant increase in costs.

DC/DC Converter With High Current Capability for All DC Renewable System

DC/DC Converter With High Current Capability for All DC Renewable System

Design and modelling of SiC MPS diodes with superior surge current robustness

The investigation and modelling of the 4H–SiC merged PiN/Schottky (MPS) diode are presented for superior surge current capability design. A bipolar current transmission (BCT) model is proposed for investigating the current transport mechanism of MPS diodes under bipolar operation. The knee voltage (Vturn) defining the conversion from unipolar to bipolar operation is precisely modelled for controlling surge current. According to the proposed model, the method of designing a SiC MPS diode with high robustness against surge current is discussed and concluded primarily, which has great significance for improving the reliability of SiC MPS diodes. Meanwhile, we propose a new hybrid stripe cell design according model calculation and simulation for enhancing the surge current capability of the diode while maintaining high forward current capability. The proposed model and design method are verified by experimental results. And the proposed hybrid stripe cell design has superior surge current robustness while it almost avoids the forward current degradation in experiment.

High-Current Capability and Upgrades of the EBIS/T Charge-Breeding System in the Reaccelerator at the Facility for Rare-Isotope Beams

The Reaccelerator (ReA) of the Facility for Rare-Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University uses a Beam Cooler/Buncher (BCB) and an Electron-Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) as a charge-breeding injector system. The rare isotopes produced by In-flight Separation are selected by the Advanced Rare Isotope Separator (ARIS) and stopped in a helium gas cell. Long-lived and stable-isotope beams can also be extracted from a Batch-Mode Ion Source (BMIS). The continuous beams transported at low energy to ReA are injected into the BCB. The pulsed beams are then injected into the EBIT, charge bred, ejected, and accelerated by ReA’s LINAC. The EBIT electron current (300 - 600 mA) is a factor that limits its capacity to ∼2×1010 elementary charges, which restricts the maximum EBIT-extracted rates to less than 2×1010 particles per second for light ions. An upgrade of the EBIT electron gun is expected to provide 2 A in current. In parallel, a High-Current Electron-Beam Ion Source (HCEBIS) is being commissioned. The HCEBIS can presently provide an electron current of 2 A. An upgrade will increase the current to 4 A. The implementation of these two upgrades is expected to allow for maximum rates to be ∼1011 pps, compatible with FRIB projected rates and user demands. We review the high-current capabilities and upgrades of ReA’s charge-breeding system.

Analysis and control of split-source current-type inverter for grid-connected applications

Current source inverters (CSIs) have been widely used for renewable energy sources integration with the utility grid. However, traditional CSIs provide only voltage-boost power conversion, which can be considered a limitation for grid-interfacing applications when consistent tracking of a widely varying input voltage is necessary. Hence, an additional front-end converter is usually utilized in an attempt to step down the input source voltage. Nevertheless, adding the dc-dc bucking stage would reduce the system reliability and its overall efficiency, increase the converter cost, and complicate the control scheme. In order to address the aforementioned shortcomings, this paper proposes a novel three-phase single-stage inverter, suitable for low-power applications, called split-source current-type inverter (SSCTI). The proposed converter can achieve high current boosting capability with lower component count and high-quality output current in comparison with other single-stage topologies. In addition, it utilizes the conventional modulation scheme of the CSI, while maintaining low current stresses on the inverter switches. Comprehensive analysis, modelling, and closed-loop control scheme of the proposed converter are developed. Also, a comparison between the proposed topology and several single-stage topologies is carried out. Moreover, an experimental prototype is built to validate the proposed converter analysis under steady-state operation and different transient scenarios.

High Gain Graphene Based Hot Electron Transistor with Record High Saturated Output Current Density

AbstractHot electron transistors (HETs) represent an exciting new device for integration into semiconductor technology, holding the promise of high‐frequency electronics beyond the limits of SiGe bipolar hetero transistors. With the exploration of 2D materials such as graphene and new device architectures, hot electron transistors have the potential to revolutionize the landscape of modern electronics. This study highlights a novel hot electron transistor structure with a record output current density of 800 A cm−2 and a high current gain α, fabricated using a scalable fabrication approach. The hot electron transistor structure comprises 2D hexagonal boron nitride and graphene layers wet transferred to a germanium substrate. The combination of these materials results in exceptional performance, particularly in terms of the highly saturated output current density. The scalable fabrication scheme used to produce the hot electron transistor opens up opportunities for large‐scale manufacturing. This breakthrough in hot electron transistor technology holds promise for advanced electronic applications, offering high current capabilities in a practical and manufacturable device.

Modelling SiC MOSFET module threshold voltage (VTH) and impact of parallel device ΔVTH on short circuit robustness

In SiC modules, where several power MOSFETs are connected in parallel for high current conduction capability, the issue of threshold voltage (VTH) variation between individual devices can become problematic. In instances where the standard deviation of device VTH is minimized by appropriate VTH pre-screening, non-uniform VTH shift under bias-temperature-instability can lead to increased VTH dispersion and potentially poor current sharing. Although non-destructive for normal operation, VTH dispersion in surge events like short circuits can cause premature module failure. In this paper, experimental investigations backed by theoretical models have been developed to explain the relationship between device VTH dispersion and module VTH shift. This is done for Si and SiC MOSFETs. Five Si/SiC MOSFETs are paralleled in a custom printed-circuit-board allowing individual VTH and module VTH measurements. It is shown that the module VTH is typically between the smallest VTH and the mean VTH, depending on the VTH standard deviation. Using empirical models for MOSFETs in weak inversion derived from the measured subthreshold gate transfer characteristics, the model can estimate module VTH from a dispersion of individual MOSFET VTH. It can also predict the impact of non-uniform VTH shift between constituent devices on the overall module VTH. Finally, the impact of VTH mismatch on current sharing during short circuits in parallel connected SiC MOSFETs is presented. The results show that VTH mismatch in parallel connected SiC MOSFETs reduces the short circuit withstand time from 5 μs to 4.5 μs compared to VTH matched SiC MOSFETs.

Transient Arc Characteristic of a Commutation Switch Utilizing High Velocity Contact Separation

Commutation circuits are commonly used for low on state resistance and high current interruption capability if this can not be achieved by a single device or single current switching path. In case of fault detection, a very fast commutation of the current from the low-impedance main current path into the parallel high-current interrupting path is necessary. For single usage applications a low-cost approach is the utilization of a pyrotechnical switch in the low-impedance path. Compared to other electromechanical switches, those switches provide very high velocity of contact separation and thus a fast arc voltage rise with short commutation times. Here, measurements of the contact movement of a pyrotechnical switch were carried out using optical high speed imaging and an arc elongation up to 100ms−1 was calculated. From this, transient arc characteristics were measured in a simplified commutation network during the period until current zero in the low-impedance main current path.

Design and Performance Analysis of Negative Capacitance Effect in the Charge Plasma-Based Junction-Less Vertical TFET Structure

In this paper, a negative capacitance (NC) effect in series with normal oxide capacitance is first time introduced to design negative capacitance charge plasma-based junction less vertical TFET structure (NC-CP-JL-VTFET). The introduced negative capacitance enhances the overall gate capacitance and hence gate capacitive coupling and thus renders high current capabilities with reduced sub-threshold slope and threshold voltage. With the use of negative capacitance along with oxide capacitance, it has been seen that the same drain current is achieved at lower gate voltage as compared to without use of negative capacitance and since the voltage scaling is done considerably, the dynamic power dissipation in circuit application can be reduced significantly. To generate the negative capacitance during the device operation; ferroelectric material [Formula: see text](VDF-TrFE) poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoro ethylene) is used in stack with SiO2 gate oxide. Various performance parameters of the designed structure such as electron–hole concentration in the tunneling junction, electric field, surface potential, electron–hole quasi-Fermi variation, and drain current variation are investigated and compared with the results of without considering the ferroelectric material in the gate oxide. The variation of the ferroelectric thickness on the device performance is also investigated. The investigation exhibits significant improvement in the drain current and in the other parameters as well. These improvements are seen because of higher capacitive coupling and these effects are further responsible for more energy band bending which in turn govern high electron tunneling. Due to the existence of negative capacitance, the peak value of the electric field gets doubled while the surface potential increases 44% from the normal structure.

Ag(e)ing and Degradation of Supercapacitors: Causes, Mechanisms, Models and Countermeasures

The most prominent and highly visible advantage attributed to supercapacitors of any type and application, beyond their most notable feature of high current capability, is their high stability in terms of lifetime, number of possible charge/discharge cycles or other stability-related properties. Unfortunately, actual devices show more or less pronounced deterioration of performance parameters during time and use. Causes for this in the material and component levels, as well as on the device level, have only been addressed and discussed infrequently in published reports. The present review attempts a complete coverage on these levels; it adds in modelling approaches and provides suggestions for slowing down ag(e)ing and degradation.

Development and assessment of simplified analytical method for current distribution among REBa2Cu3O y parallel conductors in armature windings for fully superconducting rotating machines

Fully superconducting rotating machines employing REBa2Cu3O y (REBCO, RE = rare earth elements or Y) superconducting armature and field coils, are particularly interesting for aircraft applications, owing to their high output power density (kW kg−1). To achieve high current capability in superconducting coils, we have proposed a cabling design for transposed multi-strand parallel conductors. In the parallel conductor design, the REBCO strands are insulated from each other, except for both terminal ends, and transposed during the winding process to achieve uniform current distribution by cancellation of interlinkage magnetic flux between the strands. In this study, a simplified analytical method considering inductances was developed based on Laplace’s equation in cylindrical coordinates to roughly calculate the current distributions of multi-strands under armature coil conditions. The validity of the analytical method was investigated through current distribution measurements of the sample coils wound with two-strand parallel conductors. Consequently, the analytical method was validated with approximately 10% deviation under the experimental coil conditions. To establish a more accurate analysis method, certain improvements are needed.

Comprehensive Analysis and Experiment of Extreme Faults in MMC Based on IGCT

High voltage direct current voltage source converter (HVDC-VSC) technology is one of most important solutions for transmission of large-scale renewable sources. Modular multilevel converter (MMC) is one of the most popular topologies for HVDC-VSC system. The extreme faults affect the safety and reliability of MMC greatly. This paper gives comprehensive analysis and experiment of extreme faults in MMC based on integrated gate commutated thyristor (IGCT). Causes and characterization of the extreme faults are analyzed in detail. A new protection solution based on IGCT with controlled punch-through design (CP-IGCT) and fast recovery diode with high surge current capability (HS-FRD) is proposed. The surge current capability of HS-FRD is validated via experiment successfully. Theoretical calculation shows that the protection solution based on CP-IGCT and HS-FRD can help reduce the maximum fault current below 50% when the anode inductor is 0.8 μH in the extreme shoot-through fault. Test results show that the protection solution can realize the discharge of the DC capacitor below 4.5 kV in the extreme shoot-through fault. The maximum fault current in MMC based on IGCT is only about 600 kA while the maximum fault current in MMC based on insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is over 1100 kA. Explosion proof of CP-IGCT is validated during the tests, which is similar to that of the protection thyristor. However, IGBT can't guarantee the stability of the package and may cause severe safety problem. The failed CP-IGCT has the short circuit failure mode (SCFM) and can be used for bypass of the faulty MMC sub-module (MMC-SM). Via comparison, the proposed protection solution has lowest cost and complexity, as well as the highest safety.

High Current Density Trench CAVET on Bulk GaN Substrates with Low-Temperature GaN Suppressing Mg Diffusion

We report that, for the first time, a low-temperature GaN (LT-GaN) layer prepared by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) regrowth was used as a Mg stopping layer (MSL) for a GaN trench current–aperture vertical electron transistor (CAVET) with p-GaN as a carrier blocking layer (CBL). Inserting LT-GaN on top of the p-GaN effectively suppresses Mg out-diffusion into the regrown AlGaN/GaN channel, contributing to the high current capability of GaN vertical devices with a p-GaN CBL. With different MOCVD growth conditions, MSLs inserted in trench CAVETs were comprehensively investigated for the influence of MSL regrowth temperature and thickness on device performance. With the best on-state current performance obtained in this study, the trench CAVET with a 100 nm thick MSL regrown at 750 °C shows a high drain current of 3.2 kA/cm2 and a low on-state resistance of 1.2 mΩ∙cm2. The secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiles show that the trench CAVET with the 100 nm thick MSL regrown at 750 °C has a dramatically decreased Mg diffusion decay rate (~39 nm/decade) in AlGaN/GaN channel, compared to that of the CAVET without a MSL (~104 nm/decade). In developing GaN vertical devices embedded with a Mg-doped p-type layer, the LT-GaN as the MSL demonstrates a promising approach to effectively isolate Mg from the subsequently grown layers.

Feedback-controlled flux modulation for high-temperature superconducting magnets in persistent current mode

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets have found wide applications in high-field settings owing to their high current capabilities. Typically, these magnets are powered by high-current power supplies via current leads, which can complicate insulation between cryogenic and room temperature environments. However, new developments in flux pumps for HTS magnets have enabled charging of kA levels of current without power supplies. By combining flux pumps with HTS persistent current operation, it is possible to achieve accurate flux modulation and eliminate the need for power supplies and current leads. In this study, we report on a novel feedback-controlled flux modulation for HTS magnets in persistent current operations. This flux modulation is based on a flux pump mechanism that generates a DC voltage across the charging superconductor by applying a current higher than its critical current. With closed-loop feedback control, our flux modulation can achieve precise injection and reduction of HTS magnet current in increments of 0.5 A. This technology can lead to stable magnetic fields in HTS magnet designs. We anticipate that this work will enable future magnets to operate in a stable persistent current mode within a closed cryogenic chamber, significantly reducing the footprint and power demand of HTS magnets and opening up new opportunities for their applications.

A new transformer‐less common grounded five‐level grid‐tied inverter with leakage current elimination and voltage boosting capability for photovoltaic applications

AbstractDue to serious Concerns such as air pollution, global warming, and fossil fuels shortcoming, renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic applications are dramatically being integrated into the power generation systems all of the world. Here, a new switched‐capacitor‐based transformer‐less grid‐tied inverter has been proposed. By applying the series–parallel switching technique of the utilized switched‐capacitor module, the voltage boosting capability has been obtained. By implementing common ground technique, high overall efficiency and leakage current elimination capability have been obtained. Since the proposed inverter provides a multi‐level output voltage, the total harmonic distortion of the injected grid current is reduced. The introduced control strategy has been implemented to control both active and reactive powers and generate the switches pulses. Therefore, a high quality and adjusted current is injected to the grid. This inverter requires a single renewable energy source as input DC source. Here, the comprehensive description of the proposed inverter and its performance with design considerations have been presented. The proposed structure has been compared with several similar structures and the obtained results have been investigated. To evaluate the performance of the proposed inverter, a 620 W laboratory prototype is assembled and experimental results are analyzed.

A Novel Oscillating-Commutation Solid-State DC Breaker Based on Compound IGCTs

Medium voltage dc system has fast rise rate in the event of a short-circuit fault. To avoid high-peak fault current, it is necessary to configure dc circuit breaker with fast operation. Solid-state dc circuit breaker has short breaking time and high reliability, which is suitable for Dc system. In this letter, a novel oscillating-commutation solid-state dc circuit breaker based on compound integrated gate-commutated thyristors (IGCTs) is proposed. By combining IGCTs with different advantages, such as high current breaking and high withstand-voltage capability, the proposed dc breaker has the advantages at less breaking time, high performance, low cost, and small volume. The working principle of the proposed scheme is described in detail, and an 8 kV prototype with 7 kA current breaking ability is built to verify its feasibility.

Delay analysis of mixed CNT bundles as global interconnect for nanotechnology nodes

Abstract This paper presents modeling of high current capability of mixed carbon nanotube (CNT) bundle interconnects depending upon the type of constituent CNT materials and their orientations. With different arrangements, one category of novel mixed CNT bundles formed by the combination of multi-walled/multi-shell CNT and double-shell CNT bundles (MDCB) are proposed and compared with the mixed CNT bundles (MSCB) formed with multi-shell CNT and single-walled CNT bundles. A time-domain analysis is performed for these structures to analyse the effect of delay and power dissipation. It has also been observed that MDCB structures give better performance (≈ 30%) than MSCB structures in terms of power-delay product at the global length of interconnect for nano-regime technology nodes. Also, MDCB structure formed by placing multi-walled CNTs along the periphery and double-walled CNTs in the centre of structure yields the best result against all proposed mixed CNT bundled structures and can be employed for future interconnect applications.

Reverse Blocking Diode Thyristor With High Di/Dt Capability for Explosive Foil Initiator Applications

High-voltage switch with high current and high current rise rate capability is important in explosive foil initiator (EFI) applications because the current with high amplitude and short rise time is necessary in order to gasify the explosive foil. In this work, reverse blocking diode thyristor (RBDT) for this application is optimally designed and fabricated. The 2-D numerical model of RBDT is first established. Based on this model, the cathode layout and the doping concentration of P base layer of the device are carefully analyzed. The cell size and the length ratio of the emitter to the short-circuit point at cathode are analyzed. Samples of RBDT are developed in our laboratory, with the blocking voltage of 1600 V. The peak current of 2400 A is acquired in the pulse discharge experiment, with a maximum current rise rate as high as 18 kA/ <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , which is the highest <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{d}{i}/\text{d}{t}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> value reported for RBDT until now. This result makes the proposed RBDT a promising candidate for EFI applications.

Transition Metal Carbides Filler-Reinforced Composite Polymer Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries at Room Temperature: Breakthrough

All solid-state room-temperature lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have gained increasing attention due to their ability to eliminate the polysulfides shuttle effects and the safety dangers associated with the liquid electrolytes. Herein, a novel composite solid-state electrolyte, which is nickel-tungsten carbides (NiWC) over mesoporous silica (SBA-15) filled polyethylene oxide (PEO), was developed and investigated for Li-S batteries. The filler minimizes the crystallinity of the PEO and increases the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte, resulting in lowering the AC impedance of electrolyte composite from 26,256 ohm to 2416 ohm and to 5734 ohm after adding the electrolyte material with Ni/W ratios of 1:1 and 9:1, respectively. A high initial specific capacity of 1305 mAh g−1 and a capacity retention of 66.7% after 8 cycles at C/10 was obtained at room temperature after adding NiWC/SBA-15 with a Ni/W ratio of 1:1. This novel composite solid-state electrolyte shows a remarkable long-term performance at high current rates (1, 2, 4, and 5C) and rate capabilities at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and back to 0.1C. The battery was able to recover 77% of the initial specific capacity at 0.1C. The materials were characterized by XRD and SEM-EDX to study the crystallinity and elemental distributions, respectively.

(Digital Presentation) Interfacial Durability of Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers (AEMWEs)

There is a growing industrial appeal of anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) to produce hydrogen. This is spurred by the recent advancements in high current density operation capability with relatively low overvoltage performance. Cost reduction has been pursued by reducing the reliance on expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts while still achieving long-term, continuous operation conditions most relevant to the industry: high current densities above 2 A/cm2 while retaining overvoltage performance so that overall cell potential is less than 2V.Along with a selection of appropriate PGM-free catalysts, other approaches exist that drive down the associated cost to produce hydrogen from water splitting. Sources of water are extended to brackish and even seawater to further drive down costs due to the removal of costly water purification requirements. The introduction of salt to the water source may improve overvoltage performance in an AEMWE by raising electrolyte conductivity, however, it may also lead to some unknown instability within more severe high current operating conditions. The challenge remains that AEMWE durability testing is not standardized, and more minute interfacial degradation mechanisms between ionomer, catalyst, membrane, and electrolyte are not well characterized for many industrially relevant materials. When approaching AEMWE performance improvements with PGM-free and variable electrolyte content in water solution sources, the long-term performance needs to be demonstrated in a stable and reliable manner.A series of in-situ Raman experiments are presented in coordination with ex-situ spectroscopic and physical analysis of components in PGM-free AEMWEs that are expected to contribute to overall degradation of electrolyzer performance. Interfacial durability improvements are sought by providing insight into the main sources of failure during high current and long-term operations. Electrochemical testing protocols are also developed and presented in order to seek standardization of testing procedures. In-line gas chromatography (GC) analysis is also presented in tandem with other analytical methods to confirm product gas purity and corroborate hypotheses on possible degradation mechanisms.