Drive-Side Active Voltage Balancing Method for Series-Connected SiC MOSFET with a Single Gate Driver
Lü Xuzhe1,2,3, Li Xuebao1,2,3, Jin Rui2,3, Li Wenyuan2,3, Pan Yan2
1. State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources North China Electric Power University Beijing 102206 China; 2. HuaiRou Laboratory Beijing 101499 China; 3. Beijing Smart Energy Research Institute Beijing 100085 China
Abstract：The series connection of low-voltage Silicon Carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field- effect transistors (MOSFETs) constitutes a critical solution for realizing high-voltage power semiconductor devices, which is essential for the development of future high-performance power systems. However, the application of series-connected devices is severely constrained by voltage unbalance during switching transients. Such an imbalance stems from multiple factors, including device-parameter dispersion and driving-signal asynchrony. Although active control schemes with discrete drivers exist, they introduce excessive complexity and isolation costs, making the realization of dynamic voltage balancing within a simplified single-drive architecture a significant technical challenge. Therefore, the study investigates the transient imbalance mechanism in single-driven series strings and establishes a gate-drive topology using active voltage equalization to ensure safe operation under high-voltage bus conditions. For single-driven series-connected SiC MOSFETs, a dedicated active voltage equalization topology is proposed. A passive capacitor is integrated between the gate and drain of the MOSFET, which enables regulation of the rate of rise of the drain-source voltage during the switching transients of the series-connected devices. Combined with an improved snubber-based voltage-balancing circuit, active voltage equalization in series operation is achieved. First, the switching behavior and active voltage equalization mechanism of the proposed topology during the turn-off transient are analyzed. Next, detailed parameter design guidelines are provided for the proposed topology and the voltage-balancing snubber circuit. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed active voltage equalization method is validated through double-pulse tests on two series-connected SiC MOSFETs. The following conclusions can be drawn. (1) A hybrid topology is proposed that integrates active voltage equalization with passive buffer circuits by incorporating passive capacitors at strategic nodes to modulate the drain-source voltage rise rate. Consequently, the self-synchronization of series-connected devices is achieved through transient modulation, and the underlying principle of self-voltage equalization is elucidated. (2) The selection principles for key component parameters are analyzed to optimize the coordination between the integrated passive capacitor and the passive buffer circuit. Detailed calculation expressions for the auxiliary components in the single-drive configuration are derived, and their theoretical feasibility is verified by substituting the actual chip parameters from the device datasheet into the analytical model. Furthermore, a comprehensive LTSpice simulation model that incorporates circuit parasitic parameters and nonlinear device characteristics is established. (3) Experimental results from a double-pulse test platform indicate that the proposed topology significantly reduces voltage unbalance across varying voltage and current conditions. Compared with traditional methods, at operating points of 1 220 V/22 A and 1 420 V/22 A, the degree of imbalance is reduced from 26.9% and 36.2% to 4.7% and 8.4%, respectively. Furthermore, this improved voltage equalization reduces switching losses. The proposed approach effectively addresses the voltage imbalance issue, providing a practical framework for developing reliable single-driven series SiC MOSFET devices.
吕绪哲, 李学宝, 金锐, 李文源, 潘艳. 单一驱动下串联SiC-MOSFET器件驱动侧主动均压方法[J]. 电工技术学报, 2026, 41(20): 6972-6988.
Lü Xuzhe, Li Xuebao, Jin Rui, Li Wenyuan, Pan Yan. Drive-Side Active Voltage Balancing Method for Series-Connected SiC MOSFET with a Single Gate Driver. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(20): 6972-6988.
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2026, Vol. 41 
