Transient Current Sensors for Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Switching Loss Measurements

This paper investigates the usability of different current measurement methods to determine Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductor switching energies in a double pulse test (DPT). A commercially available coaxial shunt as well as two alternatives - a modified coaxial shunt and an optical measurement scheme - are analysed regarding their impact on the device under test (DUT) and their respective bandwidths. Their advantages and drawbacks are discussed, and their practical limitations are emphasised. The results of these investigations are based on calculation, simulation and measurements.