Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “gate driver”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

An Integrated Gate Driver in 4H-SiC for Power Converter Applications

A gate driver fabricated in a 2-um 4H silicon carbide (SiC) process is presented. This process was optimized for vertical power MOSFET fabrication but accommodated integration of a few low-voltage device types including N-channel MOSFETs, resistors, and capacitors. The gate driver topology employed incorporates an input level translator, variable power connections, and separate power supply connectivity allowing selection of the output signal drive amplitude. The output stage utilizes a source follower pull-up device that is both overdriven and body source connected to improve rise time behavior. Full characterization of this design driving a SiC power MOSFET is presented including rise and fall times, propagation delays, and power consumption. All parameters were measured to elevated temperatures exceeding 300 C. Details of the custom test system hardware and software utilized for gate driver testing are also provided.

Ericson, Milton Nance↗
DOE OSTI2019

Self-Powering High Frequency Modulated SiC Power MOSFET Isolated Gate Driver

A novel implementation of an isolated gate driver for power switches is proposed in this study. The driver is bespoke designed for SiC power mosfet s. The proposal achieves the main driver characteristics—isolation capability, gate switching command, and power transfer to the secondary side by using a unique magnetic transformer. The resulting simple circuitry enables the integration of the driver into the power cell, achieving theoretical higher power density values of the final system. The principle of operation of the driver is described in detail. The original pulsewidth modulation signal is modulated with a pure ac square waveform under a two-level modulation scheme, that guarantees no saturation of the magnetic core. Here, the signal is then magnetically coupled to the secondary side, where it is rectified and reconstructed to effectively drive the target device. In addition, the steps needed to provide a suitable design taking into account the parameters of the target power switch are also detailed. The resulting driver is characterized and a prototype of the driver is built and tested. The main results of the driver performance on a SiC mosfet -based prototype are presented. Based on the analysis of these results, this study experimentally demonstrates the feasibility of the proposal.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2014

High-Temperature SiC Power Module with Integrated SiC Gate Drivers for Future High-Density Power Electronics Applications

This paper presents the testing results of an all-silicon carbide (SiC) intelligent power module (IPM) for use in future high-density power electronics applications. The IPM has high-temperature capability and contains both SiC power devices and SiC gate driver integrated circuits (ICs). The high-temperature capability of the SiC gate driver ICs allows for them to be packaged into the power module and be located physically close to the power devices. This provides a distinct advantage by reducing the gate driver loop inductance, which promotes high frequency operation, while also reducing the overall volume of the system through higher levels of integration. The power module was tested in a bridgeless-boost converter to showcase the performance of the module in a system level application. The converter was initially operated with a switching frequency of 200 kHz with a peak output power of approximately 5 kW. The efficiency of the converter was then evaluated experimentally and optimized by increasing the overdrive voltage on the SiC gate driver ICs. Overall a peak efficiency of 97.7% was measured at 3.0 kW output. The converter s switching frequency was then increased to 500 kHz to prove the high frequency capability of the power module was then pushed to its limits and operated at a switching frequency of 500 kHz. With no further optimization of components, the converter was able to operate under these conditions and showed a peak efficiency of 95.0% at an output power of 2.1 kW.

Whitaker, Mr. Bret↗
DOE OSTI2014

High-Temperature SiC Power Module with Integrated SiC Gate Drivers for Future High-Density Power Electronics Applications

This paper presents a high-temperature capable intelligent power module that contains SiC power devices and SiC gate driver integrated circuits (ICs). The high-temperature capability of the SiC gate driver ICs allows for them to be packaged into the power module and be located physically close to the power devices. This provides a distinct advantage by reducing the gate driver loop inductance, which promotes high frequency operation, while also reducing the overall volume of the system through higher levels of integration. The power module was tested in a bridgeless-boost converter (Fig. 1) to determine the performance of the module in a system level application. The converter was operated with a switching frequency of 200 kHz with a peak output power of approximately 5 kW. The peak efficiency was found to be 97.5% at 2.9 kW.

Whitaker, Mr. Bret↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Study of Integrated Signal and Power Transfer for Compact Isolated SiC MOSFET Gate-Drivers

This work discusses a novel set of alternate implementations of isolated gate driver circuits for power electronic transistors. The proposed topologies for the driver have been designed specifically for SiC power MOSFET. Three different solutions are discussed, all of them providing the required gate turn-on and turn-off command signal with galvanic isolation, but also supplying power to the secondary side of the driver by means of magnetic transformers. The resulting solutions, all of them implemented with simple circuitry, enable the integration of the driver into the power cell, allowing for theoretical higher power density values in the final system. The principle of operation of the different solutions is discussed, and then the main relevant implementation details are presented. After that, the operation of the circuits is demonstrated experimentally, by testing a set of prototypes of these drivers. This provides a comprehensive design example that assesses the feasibility of the proposed solutions. Finally, the main results of the performance of the three gate drivers, on an SiC MOSFET-based prototype are presented and compared.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2014

A wide bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) gate driver for high-temperature and high-voltage applications

Limitations of silicon (Si) based power electronic devices can be overcome with Silicon Carbide (SiC) because of its remarkable material properties. SiC is a wide bandgap semiconductor material with larger bandgap, lower leakage currents, higher breakdown electric field, and higher thermal conductivity, which promotes higher switching frequencies for high power applications, higher temperature operation, and results in higher power density devices relative to Si [1]. The proposed work is focused on design of a SiC gate driver to drive a SiC power MOSFET, on a Cree SiC process, with rise/fall times (less than 100 ns) suitable for 500 kHz to 1 MHz switching frequency applications. A process optimized gate driver topology design which is significantly different from generic Si circuit design is proposed. The ultimate goal of the project is to integrate this gate driver into a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) charger module. The application of this high frequency charger will result in lighter, smaller, cheaper, and a more efficient power electronics system.

Lamichhane, Ranjan↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Single Passive Gate-Driver for Series Connected Power Devices in DC Circuit Breaker Applications

This letter proposes a novel single passive gate driver solution based on passive devices to control series-connected power semiconductor devices for dc circuit breaker (DCCB) applications. The transient suppression devices (e.g., metal oxide varistors) are utilized to achieve natural voltage balancing among the series devices, while providing the discharge path of the gate capacitor of the upper devices. Here, the proposed method is very simple, cost effective and more compact compared with conventional voltage balancing method-based DCCBs. Besides, gate voltage oscillation during the voltage recovery process is mitigated by the addition of an extra gate capacitor. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of proposed method.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities: Preprint

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage (HV) blocking and high-current carrying capacity especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low and medium voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) as well as solid state transformers (SST) could also benefit from a low-cost HV switching module. Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors such as SiC and GaN MOSFETs are considered to be the present and next generation device choices, although they have their own limitations. For relatively HV applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in HV applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with PWM over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT) enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state of health (SOH) estimator module onboard. The entire architecture has been designed and built at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.

baseplate design↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage blocking and high-current carrying capacity, especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low- and medium-voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems as well as solid state transformers could also benefit from a low-cost high-voltage switching module. Wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are considered to be the present and next-generation device choices, although they have limitations. For relatively high-voltage applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low-voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half-bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in high-voltage applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half-bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold, and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with pulse width modulation (PWM) over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low-voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state-of-health (SOH) estimator module. The entire architecture has been designed and built at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO.

Ga2O3 devices↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design and Demonstration of an 850 V dc to 13.8 kV ac 100 kW Three-phase Four-wire Power Conditioning System Converter Using 10 kV SiC MOSFETs

In this paper, an 850 V dc to 13.8 kV ac 100 kW modular multilevel three-phase four-wire dc/ac converter based on 10 kV SiC MOSFETs is designed and demonstrated. The design considerations of key components, including the dc-link, device cooling, gate driver, isolated gate driver power supply (GDPS), medium voltage (MV) ac filter inductor, MV and medium frequency transformer, and the mechanical design are discussed. Two converters are designed, and two prototypes are developed, to study the converter paralleling operation and scalability. Both converters are fully tested up to their voltage and power ratings. However, the two converters are not identical. Based on the design and test results of the first converter, the MV power stage, transformer design, GDPS, as well as the low voltage power stage in the second converter are improved for smaller size and/or higher efficiency. Compared to the version 1 converter, the version 2 converter achieves 49% volume reduction and 2 percentage point efficiency improvement, with a peak efficiency of 98.4% at the rated power.

Li, Haiguo↗
DOE OSTI2019

Gating grid driver for gas radiation detectors

A gating grid driver for use with radiation detectors, such as time projection chambers and other similar devices that require a gating grid that operates in a bipolar mode with different electrostatic potentials on alternating wires. To open such gating grids, the driver shorts the alternate wires to a common voltage Va. Later, this driver closes the grid by restoring the voltage differences in the adjacent wires. By connecting the driver circuit to the gating grid via low impedance transmission lines, the driver circuit opens the gating grid in 0.35 μs, minimizing the lost drift length associated with this opening time. The circuit consists of 2 pairs of N- and P-MOSFET switches and includes two adjustable capacitors and resistors that can be used to adjust the opening time, and shift the balance of positive and negative charge for individual radiation detector.

Tangwancharoen, Suwat↗
DOE OSTI2016

Method for reworkable packaging of high speed, low electrical parasitic power electronics modules through gate drive integration

A multichip power module directly connecting the busboard to a printed-circuit board that is attached to the power substrate enabling extremely low loop inductance for extreme environments such as high temperature operation. Wire bond interconnections are taught from the power die directly to the busboard further enabling enable low parasitic interconnections. Integration of on-board high frequency bus capacitors provide extremely low loop inductance. An extreme environment gate driver board allows close physical proximity of gate driver and power stage to reduce overall volume and reduce impedance in the control circuit. Parallel spring-loaded pin gate driver PCB connections allows a reliable and reworkable power module to gate driver interconnections.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

A gating grid driver for time projection chambers

A simple but novel driver system has been developed to operate the wire gating grid of a Time Projection Chamber (TPC). This system connects the wires of the gating grid to its driver via low impedance transmission lines. When the gating grid is open, all wires have the same voltage allowing drift electrons, produced by the ionization of the detector gas molecules, to pass through to the anode wires. When the grid is closed, the wires have alternating higher and lower voltages causing the drift electrons to terminate at the more positive wires. Rapid opening of the gating grid with low pickup noise is achieved by quickly shorting the positive and negative wires to attain the average bias potential with N-type and P-type MOSFET switches. The circuit analysis and simulation software SPICE shows that the driver restores the gating grid voltage to 90% of the opening voltage in less than 0.20 µs, for small values of the termination resistors. When tested in the experimental environment of a time projection chamber larger termination resistors were chosen so that the driver opens the gating grid in 0.35 µs. In each case, opening time is basically characterized by the RC constant given by the resistance of the switches and terminating resistors and the capacitance of the gating grid and its transmission line. By adding a second pair of N-type and P-type MOSFET switches, the gating grid is closed by restoring 99% of the original charges to the wires within 3 µs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heterogeneous Integration Technologies for High-temperature, High-density, Low-profile Power Modules of Wide Bandgap Devices in Electric Drive Applications (Final Technical Report)

The goal of this project is to develop packaging technologies for making high-temperature, high-density, and low-profile wide-bandgap (WBG) power electronics modules for electric drives. These modules are aimed at enabling the DOE’s University Consortium to reach its 2025 inverter targets of ≥ 100 kW/L and ≤ 2.7 $/kW. The specific objectives are to: design and fabricate SiC half-bridge power modules with double-sided cooling and parasitic inductances < 5 nH, heat flux density > 400 W/cm 2 , and working junction temperature of 200 o C; design, fabricate, and deliver a gate driver with double-sided cooled modules for the construction of a 100 kW/L inverter at Oak Ridge National Lab; and design and prototype intelligent gate drivers with integrated current sensor and a low-profile DC-DC power supply with air-core transformer for testing power modules at 200 o C junction temperature. We followed an iterative technical approach of design, simulation, fabrication, and testing of various versions of modules, current sensors, and power supply. The state-of-the-art silicon carbide devices rated at 1.2 kV and 149 A were packaged by sintered-silver bonding on an aluminum nitride direct-bond-copper substrate for high thermal conductivity, high working temperature, and high joint reliability. Porous silver posts were used to interconnect the device’s source pads to the other direct-bond-copper substrate for low mechanical stresses, ease of manufacturing, and double-sided cooling. A current sensor based on package parasitic inductance was developed to measure switching current. A dynamic feedback scheme was developed to compensate the effect of parasitic resistance and temperature variation. A constant-current class-E dc-dc converter with air-core transformer was developed. Air-core transformer was used due to the unavailability of magnetic core at high temperatures. Gate driver and power supply were integrated with the double-side cooled, high temperature SiC power modules for testing the modules at 200 o C junction temperature. Double-pulse and continuous testing of the integrated technologies validated the design and fabrication of the three component technologies. Throughout the project, we overcame the challenge for design verification caused by low prototyping yield, which then helped train the graduate students, the future workforce, to learn the engineering know-how for low-cost manufacturing of reliable products. Below is a summary of the major accomplishments of this project: development of a prototyping process for fabricating double-side cooled (1200 V, 149 A) SiC phase-leg modules capable of working to 200 o C Tj; simulation and experimental verification of the improvement of thermo-mechanical reliability of the double-side cooled SiC phase-leg module by using rigid encapsulant; design and experimental validation of a current sensor based on package parasitic inductance and a compensation solution for eliminating the effect of parasitic resistance; design and experimental validation of a low-profile power supply with six-output air-core transformer for gate driver; functional demonstration of a SiC phase-leg module integrated with its gate driver, current sensor, and an air-core power supply at 200 o C Tj in a double-pulse switching test setup and Buck converter continuous test setup; successful completion of six PhD and two MS students who are or will work at Apple Inc., Tesla Inc., Wolfspeed Inc., Microchip Inc., Monolithic Power Systems Inc., and LG Magna Inc.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

A 75 kVA Intelligent Power Stages (IPS) Unit Design for Future Grid-interface Application

The demand for grid-interface converter with flexible dc bus is driven by the fast development of energy storage system (ESS), electric vehicle (EV) charging system, and versatile residential load. This paper first proposes a two-stage intelligent power stage (IPS) unit for future grid-interface applications. To achieve zero common-mode (CM) voltage emissions, step-up and step-down voltage gain, a 3-level four-switch buck-boost (3-L FSBB) dc-dc converter is adopted with fully zero voltage switching (ZVS). In one IPS unit, an advanced fiberoptic communication with sub-nanosecond synchronization is developed for different enhanced gate drivers. Moreover, an enhanced gate driver integrated current and voltage sensors is designed for monitoring and diagnostics. To achieve a whole low-profile design, three 12 oz heavy copper planar ac inductors are designed and implemented. Finally, a 75 kVA IPS unit was built to verify both the thermal and electrical design.

Cao, Yuliang↗