Power Electronics EM Simulation — Parasitics & Switching
Parasitic inductance and capacitance extraction from PCBs and busbars, switching transients, GaN/SiC design, voltage spikes, and power module analysis.
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Quick Explainer
Why does parasitic inductance matter so much in power electronics?
In a switching converter, V = L * di/dt. When a fast GaN/SiC switch turns off in nanoseconds, even a few nanohenries of stray inductance causes large voltage spikes: at 100A and 10ns switching, 10nH produces a 100V spike on top of the DC bus — potentially exceeding device breakdown ratings. FEM extraction of parasitic inductance is essential for gate drive and snubber design.
How is a power module analyzed for combined electromagnetic and thermal performance?
FEM extracts AC resistance and parasitic inductance at switching frequencies (skin and proximity effects). These feed circuit simulation to compute switching losses and current distribution among parallel devices. Loss distribution per chip becomes the heat source for thermal FEM. Thermal resistance feeds back to correct electrical properties — ideally done iteratively.