Date of Graduation

9-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering (PhD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Advisor/Mentor

Mantooth, Alan

Committee Member

Han Hu

Second Committee Member

Yue Zhao

Third Committee Member

Zhong Chen

Keywords

Active Gate Driver; Digital Control; SiC MOSFET

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) have extensive applications in high-power density devices, but they exhibit quick switching transients that are problematic, including electromagnetic interference (EMI), voltage overshoot, and current imbalance between paralleled devices. The purpose of this dissertation is to maximize the switching performance of SiC MOSFETs using digital active gate drivers (AGDs). A three-level gate driving approach is presented to improve current sharing in paralleled SiC MOSFETs through turn-on voltage and gate signal delay adjustment. Closed-loop control with real-time feedback ensures high-reliability operation. For better practicability, a compact AGD structure of a single-path Class-B amplifier-based topology is presented. The structure allows multistage independent control, which makes gate voltage response time 40% shorter while maintaining Miller clamp function without extra circuits. A DSP realization takes the place of FPGA counterparts to reduce system expense and complexity. In addition, a switching-time-dependent sampling technique is introduced to boost high-frequency feedback for digitally controlled power converters. Effective online parameter identification using low-speed ADCs is enabled by the proposed technique, as demonstrated by experimental validation on an SR-DAB converter. By addressing key SiC MOSFET gate driving issues, the work accelerates the development of AGD technology and enhances system efficiency, EMI performance, and reliability in future power electronics. Converters, the approach enables online parameter identification and real-time monitoring of SiC MOSFET performance effectively.

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