On understanding and using SiC power JFETs to design a 100 W active clamp forward converter

With the commercial availability of normally-off three-terminal SiC VJFETs, their acceptance is growing in consideration to their having excellent low switching loss, high temperature operation and high voltage rating capabilities. Their ability to significantly improve converter efficiency and improve performance in high temperature and high voltage applications, make them the most suitable candidate for the next generation of Power Semiconductors. This paper investigates the influence of the gate drive on the switching characteristics of the device and highlights suitable design strategies for driving a 100W active clamp forward converter.