Reliability-oriented design of gate driver for SiC devices in voltage source converter

High reliability of semiconductor power devices is one of the key design objectives for power conversion systems. Fast switching SiC devices are susceptible to cross-talk, and these devices also have limited over-current capability. Both of these issues significantly threaten the reliable operation of SiC-based voltage source converters. This paper proposes two gate assist circuits capable of suppressing cross-talk and preventing shoot-through faults to promote the reliable use of SiC devices within a voltage source converter. Experimental results and detailed analysis are presented to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.