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This paper presents a high-power IGBT testing platform for uneven temperature conditions and its design criteria. Considering the influence of layout parasitic parameters on the measurement results, commutation rules and independent junction temperature control, a universal high-power switching characterization platform is built and operated. Importantly, it is capable of 3.6 kA current level test requirement, which can cover the largest current level for the state-of-the-art IGBT modules. To improve the test accuracy of double pulse test method, a compensation algorithm is proposed to eliminate the circuit power loss under high current test conditions. Moreover, in order to simulate the uneven junction temperature effects occurring in real life, the junction temperatures of inspected IGBT and freewheeling diode are controlled independently. Quantitative analyses of the switching characteristics for junction temperatures up to 125 °C are performed.

This paper investigates the possibility of improving power density of three-phase grid inverter by adopting SiC MOSFET. Static and dynamic characteristics of trench gate SiC MOSFET, planar gate SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT are compared. The efficiency performance of planar gate SiC MOSFET inverter, trench gate SiC MOSFET inverter and Si IGBT inverter are estimated and compared with increased switching frequency. Finally, these results are verified with 10 kW inverter prototypes.

In order to suppress the harmonic and protect the IGBT, an innovative buffer circuit for IGBT was designed and simulated in this paper. Compared with traditional buffer circuit, the proposed RCD buffer circuit is more reliable and can reduce the heat effectively when IGBT is turned off. The analytical expression of the buffer circuit is deduced by theoretical calculation. Finally, the performance of the presented buffer circuit was testified by simulation.

Because of the fixed chip size of available sample devices a comparison of SiC-JFET and silicon IGBT with another fixed chip size necessitates the regard to the active area of the chip. The paper presents measurement results considering the active area and shows a comparison of inverter losses depending on junction temperature and switching frequency.

In this paper, we have proved that the soft damage from human body ESD can actually cause EOS damage, while integrated IGBT inverter modules (or intelligent power modules) are operating. Failure mechanism was defined as a latchup phenomenon by ESD damage leakage. Failure modes of each failed IGBT inside two integrated IGBT inverter modules were soft and hard burnout, respectively. To determine the failure mechanism, we have done fault tree analysis. From this analysis, we could conclude the main factor as the ESD event between device ESD immunity and PCB assembly line. In addition, from the PCB assembly line, we have identified damage samples due to an ESD event. Based on this result, we have implied ESD on IGBT and intentionally caused a leakage, then applied the device to the system. After an aging test, we could reproduce soft burnout and hard burnout.

IGBT power supply is a single-phase H bridge inverter capable to provide current of ±12kA with 1MA/sec ramp rate. This paper describes performance requirements, ratings, inverter design calculations, multimodular topology, protections, fast control, symmetrical layout, bus bar engineering, and cooling requirement and test results.

In this paper, a new simplified space-vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) method for a three-level inverter is proposed. This method is based on the simplification of the space-vector diagram of a three-level inverter into that of a two-level inverter. If simplified by the proposed method, all the remaining procedures necessary for the three-level SVPWM are done like conventional two-level inverter and the execution time is greatly reduced. The DC-link neutral-point potential control algorithms are implemented more easily. The proposed method can be applied to the multi-level inverters above three-level. The validity of the new SVPWM method is verified by experiment with a 1000 kVA three-level insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter.

The application field of the 1200 V IGBT devices is usually limited to a dc-link voltage up to about 600 V. In order to extend this field, new structures have been developed. In this paper, an inverter leg made of seven nested cells is presented (Fig. 7), With this structure, it is possible to increase the d.c.-link voltage of IGBT inverter up to 4000 Vdc and provide a 300 Arms current. Moreover, the output waveforms fully benefit from the increased number of switches (Fig. 4).

In an industrial project a soft-switching high-frequency IGBT voltage source inverter (VSI) system to supply a resistive-inductive load was developed. The inverter which consists of only four fast high-power 1.2 kV/800 A IGBT modules, delivers an output power of more than 100 kW at a switching frequency above 100 kHz. This high-power high-frequency product is a major challenge for today's power semiconductor modules. For this industrial application the driver boards had to be designed and implemented because no suitable gate drivers exist today on the market which fulfils the requirements to the control the high-power semiconductors at 100 kHz. In this paper the IGBT inverter system will be briefly presented. Next, the design and the hardware of the self-developed driver boards will be shown. Measurement results certify the successful implementation of the driver boards in the IGBT inverter system.

This paper presents a novel three-phase IGBT module called the SPM (Smart Power Module). This is a new design developed to provide a very compact, low cost, high performance and reliable motor drive system. Several distinct design concepts were used to achieve the highly integrated functionality in a new cost-effective small package. An overall description to the SPM is given and actual application issues such as electrical characteristics, circuit configurations, thermal performance and power ratings are discussed.

The use of MCTs in a soft switched PWM inverter application is presented. The MCTs are power devices that are capable of handling high di/dt and high dv/dt. Their weak point is high turn-off switching losses. A topology of the MCT/IGBT inverter is proposed. To minimize the switching losses, the devices are soft switched on at zero voltage switch (ZVS) conditions and turned off at zero current switch (ZCS) conditions. An auxiliary resonant commutated pole (ABCP) inverter is presented and analyzed for soft switching of MCT/IGBT modules of a PWM inverter for motor drive applications. A novel ARCP control technique is presented that is based on pre-calculated gating times. It reduces the cost of the ARCP controller with no need for high speed sensing devices.

Motors connected to an IGBT ASD may experience high voltage peak stresses which increase the possibility of failure. If an IGBT ASD is being installed as a replacement to an existing drive, the system setup must be reviewed to reduce or eliminate the peak voltage stress. The cleanliness and condition of the motor being driven must be considered and the user should be especially careful when applying fractional horsepower motors to ASDs. In the specification of new motors, the motor manufacturer should be aware of the circumstances of the system including a prediction of peak voltage potential. At this time, special insulation is recommended for motors operating on IGBT inverter-fed adjustable speed drives above 450 V.

The voltage level aboard new aircraft generations has grown from 115V AC to 230V AC . This has given rise to a new HVDC +/- 270V instead of +270V. The Adjustable Speed Drives (ASD) aboard more electrical aircraft are currently fed by fast switching PWM IGBT converters which rise time and fall time are higher than 50ns. To improve the converters power density, the very fast Wide Bandgap semiconductor technologies (Silicon Carbide) are currently under evaluation; their switching rise time and fall time could be lower than 20ns. This paper, by using industrial ASD fed by 540Vdc, initially addresses an experimental investigations analysis of motor overvoltages according to: inverters technologies (IGBT and SiC), harness length and harness shielding. Then, investigations on the Partial Discharges Inception Voltage (PDIV) are carried out on primary components of Electrical Insulation System (EIS) type 1 at atmospheric and reduced pressures, according to several parameters: magnet wire (MW) diameter, MW grade, polyimide insulating paper thickness. The paper concludes with a discussion of the different results and thoughts about overvoltages and partial discharges challenges.