B-TRAN™ Optimization and Performance Characterization

Abstract

A BTRAN™ device, rated at 1200V/SOA in a double-sided cooling TO-264 package, and driver design, are characterized and reported in this paper. Both DC and switching characterizations on the wafer and packaged levels validated the predicted simulation results reported last year at APEC 2022 [1]. Packaged devices showed bidirectional operation and symmetrical performance in both directions. The breakdown voltage, on-state voltage, and current gain (ß) were measured to be 1280 V, 0.6-0.8 V, and 4, respectively [2]. Double Pulse Testing (DPT) showed significant improvement over the comparative devices in the market. We obtained ultra-low conduction and switching power losses in switching modes of operation, showing the promise of utilizing B- TRAN™ in many power electronics applications such as Electric Vehicle (EV) traction inverters, EV Off-Board Chargers, Solid-State Circuit Breakers (SSCB), Bidirectional Power Converters, Battery Disconnect Switches, IGBT Common- Emitter applications, and Matrix Converters. At 800V/14A testing, the emitter-emitter on state voltage drop is 0.6V; under the same condition, the two best common-emitter IGBT bidirectional switches [3], [4] are shown to be 2.65V. Thus BTRAN™ offers close to an 80% reduction in conduction power losses (Figure 11 and Figure 13).