Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a 1.7 kV SiC Switching Cell for a High-Density Integrated Power Electronics Building Block (iPEBB)

This work focuses on the design, fabrication, and testing of 1.7 kV SiC MOSFET switching cells that form the H-bridges of a 250 kW solid-state transformer-based (SST-based) integrated power electronics building block (iPEBB). State-of-the-art multi-layer silicon nitride active metal brazed (AMB) substrates are used to develop an optimal switching cell design for the iPEBB that can handle both hard and soft switching. Electrical and thermal analyses for the switching cell are performed to reduce the power-loop inductance to 3.5 nH and achieve a junction-to-case thermal resistance (Rjc) of $0.285^{\circ}\mathrm{C} /\mathrm{W}$. The switching-cell packaging procedure is presented with testing results. This work will help advance the development of a lightweight, fast-switching iPEBB to serve as the backbone for future power distribution and smart grid systems.