Suitability of Voltage Sensors for the Measurement of Switching Voltage Waveforms in Power Semiconductors

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of voltage sensors on the measurement of transient voltages for power semiconductors in a Double Pulse Test (DPT) environment. We adapt previously published models that were developed for current sensors and apply them to voltage sensors to evaluate their suitability for DPT applications. Similarities and differences between transient current and voltage sensors are investigated and the resulting methodology is applied to commercially available and experimental voltage sensors. Finally, a selection aid for given measurement tasks is derived that focuses on the measurement of fast-switching power semiconductors.

Keywords

• Double pulse test
• error analysis
• measurement errors
• power semiconductors
• sensor phenomena and characterization
• voltage measurement