Current limitation with SiC devices

D Tournier (1, 2, 3) , P. Godignon (4) , Dominique Planson (1, 3) , F. Nallet (1, 3) , J. Millán (5) , F. Sarrus (6) , J F de Palma (6)

1 CEGELY - Centre de génie électrique de Lyon
2 CNM - Centro Nacional de Microelectronica [Spain]
3 INSA Lyon - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon
4 CNM - National Centre for Microelectronic
5 IMB-CNM - Instituto de Microelectrònica de Barcelona
6 Ferraz-Shawmut

This paper reports the different solutions we have studied to integrate current limiters with SiC-based devices. Current limiters are highly needed for serial protection in almost the full range of power applications, from telecommunication market to traction and energy distribution. Two types of structures are presented, with two and three terminals, respectively. The two terminal device is based on an ACCUMOSFET structure optimised for current limiting application. The three terminal device is a special JFET design for efficient current pinch-off. Both structures have been optimised using numerical simulations and then fabricated, characterized and checked in a real circuit. The current limiting capability has been demonstrated and the superior potential of SiC is experimentally demonstrated.

Mots clés: Current limiter; ACCUMOSFET; JFET; serial protection device; high voltage; command integration

Domaines: Energie électrique

D Tournier, P. Godignon, Dominique Planson, F. Nallet, J. Millán, et al.. Current limitation with SiC devices. 10th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE'2003), Sep 2003, Toulouse, France. ⟨hal-02497590⟩