Switching characteristic improvement of modern gate controlled devices

The increasing use of insulated gate devices, such a power MOSFETs and IGBTs in power electronic circuits is due to both the easy driving and the ability to handle high currents and voltages at high frequency. By increasing the switching speed it is possible to reduce the power dissipation although at the cost of an increased generation of electromagnetic interferences (EMI). The aim of this paper is to illustrate a new driver circuit topology that allows one to obtain an acceptable compromise between switching speed, power dissipation and electromagnetic irradiation. The paper starts with an analysis of voltage and current switching waveforms then points out those characteristics of the devices and driving circuits that influence the switching speed and finally how to control voltage and current slopes independently by using a suitable driving technique.