Loss Measurement of Low RDS Devices Through Thermal Modelling - The Advantage of Not Turning it Fully On

Abstract

This paper presents and evaluates a novel method for generating power losses on transistors avoiding high currents. These could heat up the circuit tracks, affecting the accurate thermal modeling of the system. The proposed procedure is based on the transistor current regulation with low gate voltages and the linearity between power and temperature, being useful for all transistor technologies (Si, SiC and GaN). Through this method, low DC currents are enough to bring transistors to their thermal limits. Thermal stability issues and their differences between technologies are discussed and an experimental validation of the method is carried out.