Design and Implementation of a Double Pulse Test Setup for Accurate SiC MOSFET Characterization

Accurate characterization of power semiconductor devices is essential for the effective design of power electronic converters. For wide-bandgap devices such as SiC MOSFETs, the precision of this characterization heavily depends on the careful hardware design of the test setup. This paper presents a detailed insight into the hardware design considerations, including the appropriate selection of the load inductor and DC bus capacitor. It also covers the development of a simple, lightweight, and highly linear air-core inductor, along with key PCB layout measures. A systematic methodology is employed for selecting the measurement equipment bandwidth to ensure accurate capture of fast switching transients. The SiC MOSFET is characterized across a range of test currents and gate resistance values, with a constant DC bus voltage of 400 V. Additionally, device performance is evaluated at elevated case temperatures. A comprehensive set of experimental data is provided to support the design and implementation of SiC MOSFET-based power electronic converters.