Master Thesis – Evaluation of Current-Mode Gate Driver Title: 30 hp – Performance Evaluation of a Programmable Current-Mode Gate Driver for Automotive SiC MOSFET Power Modules Introduction Scania is undergoing a transformation from being a leading supplier of trucks, buses, and engines to providing complete and sustainable transport solutions. Together with TRATON and our sister brands MAN, Volkswagen Truck & Bus, and International, we are working to shape the future of mobility with innovative and environmentally conscious solutions.Our values - customer first, respect, team spirit, responsibility, and elimination of waste - are at the heart of everything we do. Together, we are at the forefront of creating a sustainable future.Background Silicon carbide SiC MOSFETs are increasingly used in automotive traction inverters due to their capability for high switching frequencies, low switching losses, and operation at high DC-link voltages. However, the high switching speed of SiC devices also introduces challenges such as voltage and current overshoot, oscillations, electromagnetic interference EMI, and increased sensitivity to parasitic elements in the gate-drive and power loops. Conventional automotive gate drivers typically operate in voltage mode, where the MOSFET gate is driven toward predefined positive and negative voltage levels through an external gate resistance. Consequently, the instantaneous gate current is determined indirectly by the gate resistance, gate-source voltage, device capacitances, and parasitic elements in the gate-drive loop. An alternative approach is current-mode gate driving, in which the gate current is actively controlled rather than being indirectly determined by the external gate resistance. Programmable current-mode gate drivers can apply different gate-current levels during different stages of the turn-on and turn-off transitions, providing additional flexibility for controlling the switching behaviour of SiC MOSFETs. Objective The proposed thesis will investigate the performance of a programmable isolated current-mode gate driver together with an automotive SiC MOSFET power module. Its switching performance will be experimentally evaluated and compared with that of a programmable voltage-mode gate driver under equivalent operating conditions. The study will focus on understanding the potential benefits and trade-offs of current-mode gate driving for automotive traction-inverter applications. Job description 1. Develop an understanding of programmable voltage-mode and current-mode gate-driving principles and their influence on the switching behaviour of automotive SiC MOSFETs. 2. Setup the programmable current-mode gate driver with a selected automotive SiC MOSFET power module and establish the required gate-drive and measurement interface 3. Characterize the switching behaviour of the selected SiC MOSFET power module using both programmable voltage-mode and current-mode gate drivers in a double-pulse-test DP
