Active Gate Current Control for Non-Insulating-Gate WBG Devices

Abstract

This paper proposes an Active Gate Current Control (AGCC) strategy for non-insulating gate WBG devices, for example, gallium nitride gate-injection-transistor (GaN-GIT) and silicon carbide super junction transistor (SiC-SJT). It provides a tool for power converter designers to further improve the converter efficiency and to extend the life time of those higher cost power transistors. By continuously adjusting the device gate current, the proposed AGCC strategy can control the device switching speed, switching loss, conduction loss and gate loss together to achieve operation goals, including lower semiconductor loss, lower thermal stress, lower EMI spectrum, or smaller voltage overshoot across the full range