Variable Gate Voltage Driving Circuits for Mitigation of Coupling Noise in Silicon Carbide MOSFET

Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET exhibits low channel resistance, low junction capacitances, and a wider temperature range compared with silicon counterpart. However, the high
$dv/dt$
in a bridge-leg connected SiC MOSFETs induce the detrimental coupling noise, increasing device stress and EMI and restricting the converter operation at a high switching frequency. This article presents two single-supply-based variable gate voltage driving (SSVGVD) circuits for SiC MOSFETs to exploit the switching-speed capacity by mitigating the coupling noise during switching transients. Both driver circuits employ simple auxiliary circuits comprising a transistor, zener diode, and resistor to control the gate voltage of power devices in a bridge-leg configuration. The proposed driver circuit can be easily realized with a driver IC using only positive driver supply, offering a compact, low-cost, and reliable solution. Experimental tests with SiC MOSFETs demonstrate the effectiveness of the SSVGVD gate driver.