Littelfuse board helps designers try out SiC chips
Gate drive evaluation platform shows how SiC technologies will behave in converter applications under continuous operating conditions
Littelfuse has announced the Gate Drive Evaluation Platform (GDEV)to help designers evaluate SiC MOSFETs, SiC Schottky diodes, and other peripheral components like gate driver circuitry, so that they can better understand how SiC technologies will behave in converter applications under continuous operating conditions.
The GDEV offers quick connect header pin terminals that allow for rapid and consistent comparison of different gate drive circuits, unlike most other SiC evaluation platforms. The GDEV supports an 800 V DC link input voltage and up to 200 kHz switching frequency.
Typical markets and applications for the GDEV include automotive EC/HEV charging stations, industrial powersSupplies, data centre servers, telecom case stations and solar / wind power inverters.
“The Gate Drive Evaluation Platform (GDEV) is a critical addition to our SiC technology portfolio because SiC is still relatively new and there are some unknowns surrounding the operating characteristics under various conditions,” said Corey Deyalsingh, director, Power Control at Littelfuse. “The GDEV helps engineers understand the operating characteristics of SiC devices. By utilszing this evaluation platform, designers will be better informed about the incredibly energy efficient opportunities that SiC technologies present. Equipped with that knowledge, we anticipate that designers will be more likely to incorporate SiC into their future designs.”
The Gate Drive Evaluation Platform from Littelfuse enables users to evaluate continuous operation of SiC power MOSFETs and diodes under rated voltage and rated current, delivering real power to the load. It also lets them analyse system-level impacts associated with SiC-based designs including efficiency improvements, EMI emissions and passive components (size, weight, cost). Other features are include the ability to compare the performance of different gate driver solutions under well-defined test conditions, and to test gate driving circuits under continuous working conditions to evaluate thermal performance and EMI immunity.
