Si Power Semiconductor Research Articles

철도차량 전동기 드라이빙 효율 증대를 위한 SiC 전력용 반도체 기반의 2레벨 3상 인버터의 손실 특성 비교

The purpose of this paper is to compare and analyze the loss of propulsion inverter using SiC and Si power semiconductors for high efficiency of railway vehicles with renewable energy. Accordingly, loss comparison and analysis were carried out through PSIM Thermal Module and Loss Modeling with a SiC-MOSFET module and Si-IGBT Module. As a result, 2-level 3phase inverter using SiC-MOSFET module had extremely low switching loss compared to propulsion inverter that using Si-IGBT module. If SiCMOSFET module is used in propulsion inverter of traction motor for railway vehicles, it is considered to be advantageous for high efficiency.

Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductors for Electric Vehicle Systems: Challenges and Trends

In recent years, researchers have been attracted to the application of wide-bandgap (WBG) power semiconductor devices such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) in electric vehicle (EV) applications. Their advantages over Si power semiconductors are lower power losses, higher switching frequencies, and higher junction temperatures. Thus, using WBG power semiconductor devices for EV power electronic systems improves EV efficiency, reliability, and mileage; however, these adoptions are still under challenges in terms of packaging and power converters design. In this article, future trends and prospects of using WBG power semiconductor devices in EV systems are first presented. Then, the recent progress of different commercial WBG power semiconductor devices is reviewed and different solutions are reported to overcome R&D obstacles.

Monitoring of parameter stability of SiC MOSFETs in real application tests

Reliability testing of Si power semiconductors has had a long history and has resulted in a good predictability of standard degradation-mechanism tests such as power cycling. To enable a rapid adoption of SiC MOSFETs into the mass market, application stress tests have also been carried out. In order to validate robustness, and assess end-of-life behavior, it is necessary to monitor performance-relevant device parameters throughout the tests. Application stress tests, however, are notorious for imposing limitations on the type of measurements that can be integrated into the test. Here, a modular system for parallel application stress tests is presented. This work also investigates how well one can carry out characterization measurements directly on the application test board. A discussion on the challenges and reasons for the selected solution are presented. The last part of this article presents the results of a bias-temperature instability investigation to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution.

Comparison of Si and SiC Power Semiconductor Devices in Power Electronics Converters to be Used in Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

With the fast development of silicon carbide (SiC) technology, SiC-based power semiconductor is ready to overtake Si in transportation applications. In this paper, Si and SiC-based power electronics converters for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications are designed and analyzed. Conduction and switching losses, efficiency, junction temperature, and the volume and weight of heat sinks of converters are calculated for a Si and SiC solution of a 65 kW three-phase inverter and of a 2.5 kW DC/DC converter. Comparison of the parameters mentioned above gives that SiC-based technology shows better performances than Si power semiconductor devices in the investigated converters. Finally, an economical evaluation shows that the SiC components can cost almost 2.5 times more in order to have the same total cost as for a Si solution for a 15 years operation.