"Power electronic converters optimization using silicon carbide semiconductors (SIC)"

The proposed PhD thesis aims to investigate the reliability and benefits of using silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor switches in power electronics applications where high currents are required under high voltage and temperature conditions. More specifically, the use of silicon carbide MOSFETs seems to gain ground compared to other silicon semiconductor switches (e.g. silicon MOSFETs and IGBTs) and silicon carbide (e.g. JFET SiC) due to their monopolar construction, their easy and simple driving circuits, the fact that they are normally off and they have excellent electrical and thermal characteristics. The need to use such a switch in high current converter applications leads to the parallel connection of SiC MOSFETs. The systematic study of the problems created by this parallelism, which includes the modeling of semiconductors, simulation of their operating conditions and suggestions on topologies and control techniques for their reliable use in applications aiming at optimal use and saving of electricity, is the main key objective of this thesis.