Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach
The knowledge of device junction temperature in real time allows to maximize the power density of power electronics converters, by means of active derating and dynamic overloading. Since junction temperature cannot be measured directly without altering the device, temperature-sensitive electric para...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IEEE
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10964525/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849712575314395136 |
|---|---|
| author | Enrico Panciroli Alex Musetti Alessandro Soldati |
| author_facet | Enrico Panciroli Alex Musetti Alessandro Soldati |
| author_sort | Enrico Panciroli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The knowledge of device junction temperature in real time allows to maximize the power density of power electronics converters, by means of active derating and dynamic overloading. Since junction temperature cannot be measured directly without altering the device, temperature-sensitive electric parameters (TSEPs) are used to indirectly estimate it. The dispersion of the device parameters affecting TSEPs requires their characterization on a per-device basis, thus limiting the adoption in commercial converters. In this paper, the on-state resistance TSEP is applied to silicon-carbide MOSFETs and a novel approach for the extraction of the characteristic curves is presented. Particularly, several methodologies are introduced to avoid putting the converter in a temperature-controlled environment, exploiting self heating and a modification of the cooling system. Moreover, self heating is induced by means of the novel controlled shoot-through (CST) technique, which does not need a load connected to the converter output. The TSEP curves are then characterized by using repetitive sawtooth current pulses on an inductive load, at different device temperatures. A cork cap is proposed to thermally insulate the device under test (DUT), blocking unwanted thermal paths, improving accuracy and minimizing the time needed for the characterization procedure. Finally, various modeling techniques are evaluated to identify the most suitable temperature estimation model, simplifying the calibration by reducing the number of acquired points while maintaining the highest possible accuracy. All these elements make the proposed methodology suitable for end-of-line testing in a production environment, thus enabling the individual characterization of each device of the power converter. The experimental validation of the results is performed against reference laboratory techniques, showing an overall RMS error below <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1 \,\mathrm{^{\circ }C}$</tex-math></inline-formula> when using the most complete estimation model, and less than <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2 \,\mathrm{^{\circ }C}$</tex-math></inline-formula> when employing a simplified reduced-order model. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1fcca79fa1b4116b4c6cff5be4ca577 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2644-1314 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1fcca79fa1b4116b4c6cff5be4ca5772025-08-20T03:14:13ZengIEEEIEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics2644-13142025-01-01668169210.1109/OJPEL.2025.356076810964525Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit ApproachEnrico Panciroli0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8187-5022Alex Musetti1Alessandro Soldati2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7662-9815Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyDepartment of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyDepartment of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyThe knowledge of device junction temperature in real time allows to maximize the power density of power electronics converters, by means of active derating and dynamic overloading. Since junction temperature cannot be measured directly without altering the device, temperature-sensitive electric parameters (TSEPs) are used to indirectly estimate it. The dispersion of the device parameters affecting TSEPs requires their characterization on a per-device basis, thus limiting the adoption in commercial converters. In this paper, the on-state resistance TSEP is applied to silicon-carbide MOSFETs and a novel approach for the extraction of the characteristic curves is presented. Particularly, several methodologies are introduced to avoid putting the converter in a temperature-controlled environment, exploiting self heating and a modification of the cooling system. Moreover, self heating is induced by means of the novel controlled shoot-through (CST) technique, which does not need a load connected to the converter output. The TSEP curves are then characterized by using repetitive sawtooth current pulses on an inductive load, at different device temperatures. A cork cap is proposed to thermally insulate the device under test (DUT), blocking unwanted thermal paths, improving accuracy and minimizing the time needed for the characterization procedure. Finally, various modeling techniques are evaluated to identify the most suitable temperature estimation model, simplifying the calibration by reducing the number of acquired points while maintaining the highest possible accuracy. All these elements make the proposed methodology suitable for end-of-line testing in a production environment, thus enabling the individual characterization of each device of the power converter. The experimental validation of the results is performed against reference laboratory techniques, showing an overall RMS error below <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1 \,\mathrm{^{\circ }C}$</tex-math></inline-formula> when using the most complete estimation model, and less than <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2 \,\mathrm{^{\circ }C}$</tex-math></inline-formula> when employing a simplified reduced-order model.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10964525/Active gate driversin-circuit characterizationon-state resistancesilicon-carbide MOSFETstemperature-sensitive electric parameters |
| spellingShingle | Enrico Panciroli Alex Musetti Alessandro Soldati Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics Active gate drivers in-circuit characterization on-state resistance silicon-carbide MOSFETs temperature-sensitive electric parameters |
| title | Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach |
| title_full | Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach |
| title_fullStr | Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach |
| title_short | Revisiting On-State Resistance as TSEP for Discrete SiC MOSFETs: Steps Towards the In-Circuit Approach |
| title_sort | revisiting on state resistance as tsep for discrete sic mosfets steps towards the in circuit approach |
| topic | Active gate drivers in-circuit characterization on-state resistance silicon-carbide MOSFETs temperature-sensitive electric parameters |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10964525/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT enricopanciroli revisitingonstateresistanceastsepfordiscretesicmosfetsstepstowardstheincircuitapproach AT alexmusetti revisitingonstateresistanceastsepfordiscretesicmosfetsstepstowardstheincircuitapproach AT alessandrosoldati revisitingonstateresistanceastsepfordiscretesicmosfetsstepstowardstheincircuitapproach |