Modularized design consideration of a general-purpose, high-speed phase-leg PEBB based on SiC MOSFETs

Abstract

This paper presents the modularized design and analysis of a phase-leg module based on the Power Electronics Building Block (PEBB) concept, which aims at generalizing the phase-leg as a subsystem for various converter topologies through smart control schemes. The recently commercialized 1200 V SiC MOSFETs and SiC Schottky diodes from Cree are used as the main switches of the phase-leg, in order to explore the potentials of the pure SiC systems in achieving higher switching frequency and power density for 600 to 800 V, medium-power converters. To build the phase-leg module, the new SiC MOSFET has been fully characterized beyond the datasheet temperature range. The device switching speed has also been pushed as fast as possible through optimized gate driver and circuit layout designs, so as to achieve the high-frequency operation capability of the SiC PEBBs.