Efficient base driver circuit for silicon carbide bipolar junction transistors. Issue 25 (1st December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McNeill, N.; Stark, B.H.; Finney, S.J.; Holliday, D.; Dymond, H.
• Is Part Of: Electronics letters. Volume 54:Issue 25(2018)
• Page Start: 1450
• Page End: 1452
• Publication Date: 2018-12-01
• Subjects: driver circuits -- wide band gap semiconductors -- silicon compounds -- bipolar transistor circuits; silicon carbide bipolar junction transistor -- transient currents -- base terminal -- base driver circuit supply rail -- high‐voltage source -- high transient base–emitter voltages -- low driver circuit power consumption -- efficient base driver circuit -- steady base current -- SiC; Electronics -- Periodicals; 621.381
• DOI: 10.1049/el.2018.7057
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-5194

Abstract

Abstract : The silicon carbide bipolar junction transistor needs large transient currents supplied into and out of its base terminal for rapid switching. To realise this, it is normally desirable to have a base driver circuit supply rail at a high voltage. However, the device also needs a steady base current to hold it in the on‐state. Supplying this current from a high‐voltage source is inefficient. A circuit is presented that applies high transient base–emitter voltages, but with low driver circuit power consumption.