Referent: Jonathan Dodge, VApplications Engineer, onsemi

The SiC JFET touts the lowest conduction loss per area, whereas the seasoned IGBT is lower cost. This presentation helps to answer the question of which to choose for a battery charger breaker or for a battery disconnect. Both have active cooling available, but the load profiles are quite different. The interactions of power loss, temperature, and current in addition to transient thermal response complicate device selection. Simulation reveals the strengths and limitations of each device type as well as clarifying the circuit operation. Pulse and surge capability are compared as well as power loss during normal operation.