Guidelines for Accurate Device-Circuit Coupled Modeling for More Advanced Optimization of Power Electronic Switching Cell

This paper addresses the requirements for the trustful electromagnetic (EM)-circuit coupled modeling using an example of a PCB layout with a half-bridge configuration of two silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs, gate drivers, decoupling and de-capacitors. The general guidelines for: 1) the port definition of EM models, 2) the time-domain circuit simulator settings, 3) the approximations, which can be adopted by the EM solvers, and 4) the frequency-points selection for generation of a broadband EM model, are derived focusing on the state-of-the-art simulation frameworks of ANSYS and Keysight. An EM-circuit coupled model represents a virtual twin for estimation of switching losses more accurately than commonly used analytical models. In contrast to analytical models, EM-circuit coupled simulations are run outside of an optimization loop, but the simulation output data can be used for generating meta-models for advanced optimization of Power Electronic Switching Cell, which takes into account circuit layout geometry and component placement. Furthermore, virtual prototyping enables distinguishing the effects of device dynamic characteristics, measurement probes, and package/circuit layout parasitics, which are highly coupled within the switching waveforms.