Analysis of SiC and GaN Based Hybrid Switch For Different Switching Combinations

Given the limited capacity of individual devices within the half-bridge circuit to handle higher currents, paralleling semiconductor devices is a common practice to enhance current capabilities while reducing the cost. The convergence of Si/SiC MOSFETs and Si IGBTs in parallel operating topologies represents a milestone in power electronics. However, they provide a barrier for high-frequency operations. This paper explores the use of SiC, and GaN MOSFETs as a hybrid switch and finds out the switching losses incurred when SiC and GaN switches operate in parallel, for different switching combinations by considering different delay times during turn-on or turn-off phases. From the results, it is observed that when the SiC device turns off prior to the GaN device with some delay provided between them has the least switching losses and the switching loss is reduced by almost 50% when compared with devices turning off without any delay. These investigations provide vital insights for optimizing the performance and reliability of hybrid power switches in high-power applications.