Conduction Performance Evaluation of Silicon and SiC Power Semiconductors for Solid-State DC Breakers

Abstract

The main obstacle for the further development and commercialization of solid-state DC circuit breakers is the high ON-state power losses caused by the active power semiconductor devices. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of the electrical ON-state performance among several commercial high-power semiconductor device technologies rated at 1200V and 1700V at elevated temperatures. In addition, the potential of reducing ON-state losses by applying the maximum gate voltage, namely overdriving, has been assessed. It is shown that under nominal gate voltages, the normally-ON silicon carbide junction-field-effect transistor exhibits the lowest ON-state losses for both voltage classes, as well as at both temperatures. By using the overdriving concept, the ON-state voltage of silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors has been minimized up to 10%. In addition to that, both the silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors and normally-ON junction-field-effect transistors experience voltage reduction up to 16% and 33% respectively when overdriving, at elevated junction temperatures.