CoolSPICE: Circuit and Device Design Tool for WBG Power Device Applications

Akin Akturk, Brendan Cusack, Neil Goldsman,James McGarrity, Zeynep Dilli,

Mitch Gross, Lalitto Sarker

Supported by ARL, PowerAmerica, NASAThank you

CoolSPICE Place in the SiC World

CoolCAD Electronics

–CoolSPICE-

SiC

LT Spice Synopsys-Saber

Mathworks-Simulink

-Simpower

Ansoft-

Simplorer

Mentor Graphics

-Flotherm

SiC Models Y N N N N N

Simulation Environment Y Y Y Y Y N

Thermal Modeling Y N N N Y Y

Circuit Design Y Y Y Y Y NCo-Design Electricaland Thermal Y N N N N N

And this is why we are building CoolSPICE ..

In 2020, SiC will be everywhere….And these companies will play a role in that…Sectors Companies

Devices/Components USCi, Cree, ROHM, Infineon, Powerex, etc.

Design Tools CoolCADSystems ARL, ONR, Delta, GE, etc.

Service & Distribution Pepco, ABB, etc.

Why Use CoolSPICE:Help Proliferate SiC/GaN Based Electronics

CoolSPICE Unique Attributes

1. Wide Bandgap Circuit Models SiC / GaN: DC, Transient, AC

2. Has Thermal Capability Integrated In

3. Integrated with PSIM: Widely Used Power System CAD Tool

4. Can read and simulate LTSPICE Input

5. Roughly 9000 downloads of student version

6. CoolSPICE and PSIM can respond to WBG community needs

PSIM-CoolSPICE Module: One Environment; Device, Circuit and System

PSIMPSIM

CoolSPICE

CoolSPICE*

Economical

PSIM talks to CS through function calls andfunction parameters (IN)

A DLL exposes functions to an EXE which theEXE can then call

CS talks to CS through return values, pass bypointer parameters, and function calls (OUT)

Selected PSIM Current UsersUsed in over 2,000 companies/universities in 70 different countries.

In North America:

• John Deere

• Caterpillar

• NASA

• Texas Instruments

• Cummins Business Services

• United Technologies Research Center

• Honeywell

• National Semiconductor

• Electro-Motive Diesel Inc.

• Eaton

• DRS Power & Control Technologies

In Europe:

• Airbus

• Schneider Electric

• ST Microelectronics

• Renault

• Areva

• SNCF

• EDF

• Thales

• CTSN

• Fronius International

• Liebherr Aerospace

In Japan / South Korea:

• Honda

• Denso Co.

• Mazda Motor

• Mitsubishi Electric

• Fuji Electric

• Panasonic

• Hitachi

• Toshiba

• Samsung

• LG

• Hyundai Motor

CoolSPICE Has Access

A Synergistic PairPSIM’s mastery of system level & control simulation combined with CoolSPICE’s expertise in device level simulation and robust models for wide band gap devices make a potent and versatile combination.

CS-PSIM Link in Action

CoolSPICE / PSIM GUI

Feedback and Large Voltages Render SPICE Simulations Challenging

CoolSPICE Simulation Compared with PSIM and LTSPICE

LTSPICE Compatibility is Needed to Reach Out to Larger Power Design Community

• LTSPICE DOES NOT have WBG device models (except for some based on behavioral sources that are not computationally efficient)

• LTSPICE is popular among Si power device users

The goal is to create a platform using which the effects of Si and WBG power devices on power circuit performance can be ascertained with minimal effort.

CoolSPICE is Capable od Simulating LTSPICE Specific Power Components

CoolSPICE also has VDMOS equivalent build-in (not behavioral) models.

CoolSPICE has “special” ideal switches that enable “PSIM-like” circuit simulations. These switches are NOT based on the standard SPICE switches that are prone to numerical instabilities.

CoolSPICE is Capable od Simulating LTSPICE Specific Power Components

• CoolSPICE can understand all LTSPICE compile time functions that are generally used in conjunction with .param statements.

• CoolSPICE can understand almost all LTSPICE run time functions including ddt(.), idt(.) and delay(.).

• Syntax is compatible for almost all relevant power circuit simulations.

• Codemodeling is enabled. This is important for digital control circuit simulations.

• CoolSPICE uses a unique modified trapezoidal method to eliminate numerical instabilities: One of the holy grails of LTSPICE.

CoolSPICE: Gate Charge Curves

Transient Comparisons Using C2M0160120D

Black lines: CoolSPICE simulations

Transient Experiments

Transient Experiments

ExpSim

ExpSim

ExpSim

ExpSim

0.1V/A

Agreement with Temperature-Dependent DC Operation

Solid lines: CoolSPICE simulationsSymbols: Measurements

RTGA16JT17

Agreement with SiC Power Bipolar Devices

175CGA16JT17

Agreement with SiC Power Bipolar Devices

GS66502B175C

Agreement with GaN Power Devices

Summary

CoolSPICE is ready to help you design and simulate your power circuit

WBG device model library keeps increasing in size

PSIM collaboration and LTSPICE compatibility may accelerate WBG power device adoption by the industry

To facilitate use of SiC power devices in power circuits, availability of easy to use and accurate models is necessary

Next: How CoolSPICE can help you optimize your device and process!