Design considerations for wide bandgap based motor drive systems

The backbone of traction drive systems for electrified vehicles is based on the insulated gate bipolar junction transistors (IGBT) created from silicon (Si). Over the last several years, switching devices made from silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) have become available. This has resulted in the construction of power electronic systems with greater power densities and better efficiency over similarly rated Si based versions. Yet some hurdles still remain prior to wide spread adoption of these components in automotive power electronics. The following paper reviews the current state-of-art for SiC and GaN based power devices. Challenges in their implementation and barriers to commercialization are presented. This information is supplemented with test results from a thermal investigation. The impact of high speed wide bandgap power devices on the reflected wave phenomenon is also explored.