Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1537950
Infineon Tools and Resources for Device Simulation and Design Chapter 4 Designing with power semiconductors demands accurate simulation and tested reference implementations. Infineon provides both through a complete ecosystem that includes basic device models and full system demonstrations. The Simulation Challenge: From Basic Models to Real-World Performance Engineers begin their design process with simulation, and Infineon provides both PLECs and SPICE simulation models for all discrete devices. These models are compatible with offline simulators, forming the foundation of the design workflow. However, basic models alone cannot fully capture the complexity of real applications. IPOSIM, Infineon's online simulation tool, closes this gap. It allows you to simulate how the device performs within various application circuits, helping assess performance across different topologies. The tool provides design data by calculating switching and conduction losses, along with the device's thermal behavior. This insight helps in selecting the right product for specific application conditions. Additionally, engineers can compare the performance of multiple products under different input requirements, making the selection process easier. The Reality Gap: Why Standard Models Fall Short Traditional simulation often encounters a key challenge: predefined PLECs models depend on lookup tables for device losses, making it hard to account for changing board conditions or gate driving scenarios. Since device performance is influenced by these external circuit factors, this limitation can affect accuracy. IPOSIM's new SPICE-in-loop simulation feature directly tackles this issue. It allows users to develop custom PLECs models tailored to their specific gate driving conditions or board stray inductances. The feature generates a PLECs XML file from a SPICE circuit and performs steady-state simulations for any application scenario. This new capability enables precise simulation of these behaviors and effects, reducing the gap between idealized models and real-world circuit performance. From Simulation to Implementation: Q-DPAK Reference Designs While simulation tools predict performance, reference designs verify it. Infineon will soon release Q-DPAK reference designs that serve as resources for system designers, demonstrating how simulation results translate into real hardware. 18 Enabling Compact, Efficient Designs with High Voltage CoolSiC™ Discretes