Using SiC and GaN for your power convertor?
Using SiC and GaN for your power conversion design?
Design a better product. Get to market faster.
Faster time to market for your power conversion designs
Market trends like SiC and GaN introduce new complexities into your power conversion circuits with faster switching speeds to get reduction in passive (induction and capacitance) component sizes, requiring the need to be precise in circuit timing. You need to deal with higher sensitivity for gate threshold voltage and timing. You also need a more robust PCB design for EMI/EMC issues due to higher switching frequencies.
Overcome high common mode voltages
Floating differential measurements (such as high-side Vgs) are difficult or impossible to make due to high frequency (fast turn on and turn offs), and the presence of high common mode voltages (such as Vds) because oscilloscope probes do not have sufficient common mode rejection at high bandwidth. The poor common mode rejection leads to the measurement being dominated by the common mode error instead of the actual differential signal.
Tektronix has the only solution offering an isolated probe (ISOVu) that does not de-rate with frequency at the operating requirements of GaN and SiC devices, allowing you to make accurate differential measurements. This allows you to precisely calculate and prove conduction losses, dead time losses, switching losses. Additionally, if you are not using an integrated gate driver, the ability to make floating differential measurements allows you to precisely measure and control dead-time for turn-on and turn-off of your device. You can also now avoid overestimation of high-frequency emissions from power converters due to the transient voltage (dv/dt) and current generated during hard switching.
Overcome common sources of measurement error using IsoVu.
Simultaneously measure multiple control and timing signals
With faster switching frequencies, you need to simultaneously monitor multiple signals while working on controls and the timing circuit for the power converter (for e.g. high side Vgs, low side Vgs, high side Vds, low side Vgs, Id, IL and Iload, control signals etc.). You also need to measure low voltage signals (Vgs) signals in the presence of high voltage signals (Vds). You need an oscilloscope with a high channel count and high vertical resolution.
Measurement points for time and control signals.
Faster automated power measurements
Switching loss shows power dissipation in a FET. Waveforms are annotated with color-coded markers showing the measurement regions for Ton, Toff, and Total cycle, corresponding to values in the results badge. Controls in the results badge let you easily traverse from cycle to cycle.
Accurate and repeatable switching and conduction loss measurements on high frequency SiC and GaN devices require resolution, multiple acquisition averaging, and complex waveform math. You need to make automated measurements for power quality, harmonics, safe operating area, and switching losses. 5 Series MSO oscilloscopes with 5-PWR and probing solution provide automated measurement capabilities along with the ability to troubleshoot problems.
Don't fail compliance
Regulations and market requirements for power efficiency, stand by power, harmonics, and EMI are getting more stringent. Performing early pre-compliance is now becoming more critical for passing compliance later, saving time to market and money if designs fail compliance later. You need power analyzers with pre-compliance software for automated and accurate power efficiency, harmonics and stand by pre-compliance. You also need spectrum analyzers with pre-compliance software for easy and accurate EMI pre-compliance.
Affordable pre-compliance testing can easily be setup to uncover potential problems so that you can minimize test time in more expensive compliance test facilities.
SiC MOSFET and GaN FET Switching Power Converter Analysis Kit
To gain real benefits from SiC and GaN devices, switching must be very fast and requires very tight tolerances on gate drive design, turn-on/turn-off times and dead-time. It is critical that you get accurate visibility into all these signals, so the right design decision can be made. Increasing design margins and over designing will only drive your cost up and performance down. The right measurement equipment then, makes all the difference. If you can’t see it, you can’t fix it.
Reacting to the challenges faced by engineers working on these challenges, Tektronix is introducing SiC MOSFET and GaN FET Switching Power Converter Analysis Kit, which is currently the only solution in the market that can accurately characterize most of the critical parameters for optimizing Power Electronics topologies that use technology like SiC, GaN or any other fast switching silicon power devices.
Featured Content
Case Study: Panasonic turns to IsoVu Technology to shorten development time
Case Study
This case study describes how Panasonic used Tektronix high-performance IsoVu measurement system to accurately observe the high-side gate voltage waveform to evaluate and optimize switching performance and reliability without degrading dV/dt. This significantly reduced the time required for analysis of the halfbridge circuit and the signal.
Accurately Measuring High Speed GaN Transistors
Application Note
This application note focuses on measurement equipment and techniques to accurately evaluate high performance GaN transistors. It also evaluates high bandwidth differential probes for use with non-ground-referenced waveforms.
Power Supply Measurement and Analysis
Application Note
This application note describes common power supply measurements using a Tektronix 5 Series MSO oscilloscope with advanced power analysis software. This combination provides automated power measurements on key switching components under real operating conditions, as well line measurements (such as harmonics and power factor), and output measurements (such as ripple and efficiency).
Power Measurement on AC-DC Power Supplies
Application Note
Essential reading for engineers designing, testing or specifying switching power supplies, this application note defines all the measurements required and how to make them accurately and efficiently.
Reduce wide bandgap design time
IsoVu Isolated Probes
IsoVu® probes are the right tool for today’s demandig power measurement challenges. They offer industry-leading 1 GHz bandwidth, 160 dB or 100 Million to 1 common mode rejection, 60 kV common mode voltage, large ± 2500 V differential range and superior probe loading.
Advanced power measurement and analysis
5 Series MSO Mixed Signal Oscilloscopes
With a remarkably innovative pinch-swipe-zoom touchscreen user interface, the industry's largest high-definition display, and 4, 6, or 8 FlexChannel™ inputs that let you measure one analog or eight digital signals, the 5 Series MSO is ready for today’s toughest challenges, and tomorrow’s too. It sets a new standard for performance, analysis, and overall user experience.
Powerful power efficiency analysis software, on us
The Tektronix PA1000 is a single-phase power analyzer optimized for easy and accurate energy consumption, standby power and harmonic testing to international standards such as IEC62301 and IEC61000. Default application modes and powerful software features allow you to quickly set up, analyze and document all critical power parameters.
EMI pre-compliance with SignalVu-PC, one user interface for RF and Vector Signal Analysis
SignalVu-PC is the foundation of RF and vector signal analysis software that helps you easily validate RF designs
Generate cleaner waveforms in less time
AFG31000 Series Arbitrary/Function Generators
The touchscreen AFG31000 Series offers real-time waveform monitoring, programmable sequencing, and low-noise for better testing made simple.
