A CAN network architecture for gate drivers dedicated to wide band gap components

In this paper, an innovative communication network architecture for gate drivers is presented. It is adapted for wide band gap gate drivers, particularly SiC MOSFET, in the working environment of power electronics with high dv/dt of 125kV/μs under 1.5kV. In this paper, aspects linked to the constitution of the entire communication network and its topology are introduced. The design of the section of the network that guarantees the galvanic isolation is detailed. A model of the channel has been established and is described in this paper. The results obtained through this model are exposed for a carrier frequency band going from 300kHz to 30MHz. The latter carrier is used to cross the galvanic isolation barrier. The final choices concerning the parameters considered in the model are specified, as well as the carrier frequency. The electronic structure of the modulator is presented for an application with a bit rate equal to 1Mbit/s.