Design of a Battery-Powered Gate Driver for Medium-Voltage Silicon Carbide Switch Modules in Pulsed Applications

Author(s):

Damian Urciuoli and Miguel Hinojosa

Abstract:

A compact battery-powered gate driver was designed to enable a wide range of switching modes for a series-connected, medium-voltage, silicon carbide metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor or insulated-gate bipolar transistor in pulsed applications. The gate driver’s battery power source eliminates the need to isolate power from a supply referenced to a fixed potential. To prolong the gate driver’s shelf life, the circuit is designed to be disabled in a low-power state by default. The gate driver is designed to have a relatively thin profile to provide voltage standoff between neighboring series-connected switches. Features include a wide range of configurable gate currents, an asymmetric turn-on/turn-off gate-resistance network, voltage clamps for gate protection, and a Miller clamp to reduce transient-induced gate-voltage excursion while in the off state.