Gate Driver Circuit with All-Magnetic Isolation for Cascode-Connected SiC JFETs in a Three-Level T-Type Bridge-Leg

This article presents a gate driver circuit with all-magnetic isolation for driving silicon carbide (SiC) power devices in a three-level T-type bridge-leg. Gate driver circuitry for SiC devices has to be tolerant of rapid common-mode voltage changes. With respect to the resultant potentially problem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energies
Main Authors: Neville McNeill, Dimitrios Vozikis, Rafael Peña-Alzola, Shuren Wang, Richard Pollock, Derrick Holliday, Barry W. Williams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Subjects:
cascode-connected
gate driver
isolation
JFET
silicon carbide
T-type converter
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/3/1226
Description
Summary:This article presents a gate driver circuit with all-magnetic isolation for driving silicon carbide (SiC) power devices in a three-level T-type bridge-leg. Gate driver circuitry for SiC devices has to be tolerant of rapid common-mode voltage changes. With respect to the resultant potentially problematic common-mode current paths, an arrangement of transformers is proposed for supplying the power devices with drive signals and power for their local floating gate driver circuits. The high-frequency carrier phase-switching technique is used to reduce the number of transformers. Signal timing and other implementation issues are addressed when using this arrangement with the T-type converter. The circuit is demonstrated in a 540 V bridge-leg constructed around 650 V and 1200 V cascode-connected normally-on SiC junction field effect transistors (JFETs).
ISSN:1996-1073

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