Short-Circuit Behavior of Quasi Series Connected SiC-MOSFETs: Measurements and Simulative Validation

In topologies with three active switches within a commutation loop, a failure of one device can lead to a combined short-circuit situation of quasi-serial switches. This paper, inspired by measurement results on state-of-the-art 3.3 kV SiC half-bridge modules, presents a comprehensive study that contributes additional explanations and discusses the influence of intrinsic packaging parameters beyond the possibilities of measurement. By utilizing a customized simulation model, the voltage distribution for arbitrary shortcircuit combinations is derived. Moreover, different parameter variations are judged concerning higher short-circuit robustness and, coincidentally, minimum impact on the normal operation.