Digital Close-Loop Active Gate Driver for Static and Dynamic Current Sharing of Paralleled SiC MOSFETs

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices have been extensively for high-power-density application scenarios. To increase the current rating, SiC devices are usually connected in parallel. However, the mismatching current brought by unbalanced electrical parameters can increase the current stress of a device and pose a reliability concern for the converter system. Aiming at addressing the current imbalance for paralleled SiC devices, this article reports the application of an improved active gate driver (AGD) on the paralleled SiC MOSFETs to address the current imbalance problems. The three-level driver voltage can minimize the overshoot voltage and current. The adjustable turn-on voltage and gate signal delay time can realize the current sharing of both static and dynamic processes. Current sensors and a digital controller are utilized for close-loop control. The functionality of the proposed AGD is validated in continuous operating experiments.