scope:

All power semiconductor devices incur switching losses that have to be taken carefully into account when evaluating and benchmarking device performance. For power transistors such as SiC MOSFETs, the losses include turn-on and turn-off losses. In case of SiC diodes, recovery losses also need to be included. In addition, losses originating from the device's internal capacitances need to be considered in application.

This document describes the impact of measurement and/or setup parameters on switching losses of power semiconductor switches; focusing primarily on SiC MOSFET turn-on losses. In terms of turn-off losses, the behavior of SiC MOSFETs is similar to that of existing silicon based power MOSFETs, and as such are adequately represented in typical datasheets. Therefore, the major focus of this representation guide is turn-on losses in SiC MOSFETs. The given methodology can be applied (in datasheets) for single devices, e.g., discrete packages, and parallel operated devices, e.g., power modules. It may also be applied in more complex topologies if topology specific specialties are taken into account.