MOSFET (Ideal, Switching)

Ideal N-channel MOSFET for switching applications

• Library:

• Simscape / Electrical / Semiconductors & Converters

• 

Description

The MOSFET (Ideal, Switching) block models the ideal switching behavior of an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

The switching characteristic of an n-channel MOSFET is such that if the gate-source voltage exceeds the specified threshold voltage, the MOSFET is in the on state. Otherwise, the device is in the off state. This figure shows a typical i-v characteristic:

To define the I-V characteristic of the MOSFET, set the On-state behaviour and switching losses parameter to either Specify constant values or Tabulate with temperature and current. The Tabulate with temperature and current option is available only if you expose the thermal port of the block.

In the on state, the drain-source path behaves like a linear resistor with resistance, R_{ds_on}. However, if you expose the thermal port of the block and parameterize the device using tabulated I-V data, the tabulated resistance is a function of the temperature and current.

In the off state, the drain-source path behaves like a linear resistor with low off-state conductance, G_off.

The defining Simscape™ equations for the block are:

    if G > Vth       v == i*Rds_on;     else       v == i/Goff;     end 

where:

• G is the gate-source voltage.

• Vth is the threshold voltage.

• v is the drain-source voltage.

• i is the drain-source current.

• Rds_on is the on-state resistance.

• Goff is the off-state conductance.

Using the Integral Diode settings, you can include the body diode or an integral protection diode. The integral diode provides a conduction path for reverse current. For example, to provide a path for a high reverse-voltage spike that is generated when a semiconductor device suddenly switches off the voltage supply to an inductive load.

Set the Integral protection diode parameter based on your goal.

Goal	Value to Select	Block Behavior
Prioritize simulation speed.	Protection diode with no dynamics	The block includes an integral copy of the Diode block. To parameterize the internal Diode block, use the Protection parameters.
Precisely specify reverse-mode charge dynamics.	Protection diode with charge dynamics	The block includes an integral copy of the dynamic model of the Diode block. To parameterize the internal Diode block, use the Protection parameters.

Modeling Variants

The block provides four modeling variants. To select the desired variant, right-click the block in your model. From the context menu, select Simscape > Block choices, and then one of these variants:

• PS Control Port — Contains a physical signal port that is associated with the gate terminal. This variant is the default.

• Electrical Control Port — Contains an electrical conserving port that is associated with the gate terminal.

• PS Control Port | Thermal Port — Contains a thermal port and a physical signal port that is associated with the gate terminal.

• Electrical Control Port | Thermal Port — Contains a thermal port and an electrical conserving port that is associated with the gate terminal.

The variants of this block without the thermal port do not simulate heat generation in the device.

The variants with the thermal port allow you to model the heat that switching events and conduction losses generate. The thermal port is hidden by default. To enable the thermal port, select a thermal block variant.

Thermal Losses

The figure shows an idealized representation of the output voltage, V_out, and the output current, I_out, of the semiconductor device. The interval shown includes the entire n^th switching cycle, during which the block turns off and then on.

Switching losses are one of the main sources of thermal loss in semiconductors. During each on-off switching transition, the MOSFET parasitics store and then dissipate energy.

Switching losses depend on the off-state voltage and the on-state current. When a switching device is turned on, the power losses depend on the initial off-state voltage across the device and the final on-state current once the device is fully in its on state. Similarly, when a switching device is turned off, the power losses depend on the initial on-state current through the device and the final off-state voltage across the device when in the fully off state.

In this block, switching losses are applied by stepping up the junction temperature with a value equal to the switching loss divided by the total thermal mass at the junction. The Switch-on loss, Eon(Tj,Ids) and Switch-on loss, Eoff(Tj,Ids) parameter values set the sizes of the switching losses and they are either fixed or dependent on junction temperature and drain-source current. In both cases, losses are scaled by the off-state voltage prior to the latest device turn-on event.

Note

As the final current after a switching event is not known during the simulation, the block records the on-state current at the point that the device is commanded off. Similarly, the block records the off-state voltage at the point that the device is commanded on. For this reason, the simlog does not report the switching losses to the thermal network until one switching cycle later.

For all ideal switching devices, the switching losses are reported in the simlog as lastTurnOffLoss and lastTurnOnLoss and recorded as a pulse with amplitude equal to the energy loss. If you use a script to sum the total losses over a defined simulation period, you must sum the pulse values at each pulse rising edge. Alternatively, you can use the ee_getPowerLossSummary and ee_getPowerLossTimeSeries functions to extract conduction and switching losses from logged data.

Variables

The Variables settings allow you to specify the priority and initial target values for block variables before simulation. For more information, see Set Priority and Initial Target for Block Variables.

To enable the Variables settings for this block, set the variant to PS Control Port | Thermal Port or Electrical Control Port | Thermal Port.

Ports

The figure shows the block port names.

Conserving

G — Gate terminal

electrical

Port associated with the gate terminal. You can set the port to either a physical signal or electrical port.

S — Source terminal

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the source terminal.

D — Drain terminal

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the drain terminal.

H — Thermal port

thermal

Thermal conserving port. The thermal port is optional and is hidden by default. To enable this port, select a variant that includes a thermal port.

Parameters

Main

This table shows how the visibility of Main parameters depends on how you configure the Block choice and On-state behavior and switching losses parameters. To learn how to read this table, see Parameter Dependencies.

Main Parameter Dependencies

Parameters and Options
Block choice
PS control port or Electrical control port				PS control port | Thermal port or Electrical control port | Thermal port
Drain-source on resistance, R_DS(on)				Threshold voltage, Vth
Off-state conductance				On-state behaviour and switching losses
				Specify constant values	Tabulate with temperature and current
Threshold voltage, Vth				Drain-source on resistance, R_DS(on)	On-state voltage, Vds(Tj,Ids)
				Off-state conductance	Temperature vector, Tj
					Drain-source current vector, Ids
					Off-state conductance

On-state behaviour and switching losses — On-state current for switching loss data

Specify constant values (default) | Tabulate with temperature and current

Select a parameterization method. The option that you select determines which other parameters are enabled. Options are:

• Specify constant values — Use scalar values to specify the output current, switch-on loss, and switch-off loss data. This is the default parameterization method.

• Tabulate with temperature and current — Use vectors to specify the output current, switch-on loss, switch-off loss, and temperature data.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Drain-source on resistance, R_DS(on) — Drain-source on resistance

0.01 Ohm (default)

Drain-source resistance when the device is on.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Off-state conductance — Off-state conductance

1e-6 1/Ohm (default)

Drain-source conductance when the device is off. The value must be less than 1/R, where R is the value of On-state resistance.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Threshold voltage, Vth — Threshold voltage

2 V (default)

Gate-source voltage threshold. The device turns on when the gate-source voltage is above this value.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

On-state voltage, Vds(Tj,Ids) — On-state voltage

[0, 1.1, 1.3, 1.45, 1.75, 2.25, 2.7; 0, 1, 1.15, 1.35, 1.7, 2.35, 3] V (default)

Voltage drop across the device while it is in a triggered conductive state. This parameter is defined as a function of temperature and final on-state output current. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Temperature vector, Tj — Temperature vector

[298.15, 398.15] K (default)

Temperature values at which the on-state voltage is specified. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Drain-source current vector, Ids — Drain-source current vector

[ 0 10 50 100 200 400 600 ] A (default)

Drain-source currents for which the on-state voltage is defined. The first element must be zero. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

See the Main Parameter Dependencies table.

Switching Losses

To enable this tab, right-click the block in your model, select Simscape > Block choices, and then PS Control Port | Thermal Port or Electrical Control Port | Thermal Port

Switch-on loss — Switch-on loss

0.02286 J (default)

Energy dissipated during a single switch-on event. This parameter is defined as a function of temperature and final on-state output current. Specify this parameter using a scalar quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Specify constant values.

Switch-off loss — Switch-off loss

0.01714 J (default)

Energy dissipated during a single switch-off event. This parameter is defined as a function of temperature and final on-state output current. Specify this parameter using a scalar quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Specify constant values.

Off-state voltage for switching loss data — Off-state voltage for losses data

300 V (default)

The output voltage of the device during the off state. This is the blocking voltage at which the switch-on loss and switch-off loss data are defined.

On-state current for switching loss data — Output current

600 A (default)

Output currents for which the switch-on loss, switch-off loss, and on-state voltage are defined. The first element must be zero. Specify this parameter using a scalar quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Specify constant values.

Switch-on loss, Eon(Tj,Ids) — Switch-on loss

[ 0 2.9e-4 0.00143 0.00286 0.00571 0.01314 0.02286; 0 5.7e-4 0.00263 0.00514 0.01029 0.02057 0.03029 ] J (default)

Energy dissipated during a single switch on event. This parameter is defined as a function of temperature and final on-state output current. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Tabulate with temperature and current.

Switch-off loss, Eoff(Tj,Ids) — Switch-off loss

[0, .21, 1.07, 2.14, 4.29, 9.86, 17.14; 0, .43, 1.97, 3.86, 7.71, 15.43, 22.71] * 1e-3 J (default)

Energy dissipated during a single switch-off event. This parameter is defined as a function of temperature and final on-state output current. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Tabulate with temperature and current.

Temperature vector for switching losses, Tj — Temperature vector for switching losses

[298.15, 398.15] K (default)

Temperature values at which the switch-on loss and switch-off loss are specified. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Tabulate with temperature and current.

Drain-source current vector for switching losses, Ids — Drain-source current vector for switching losses

[ 0 10 50 100 200 400 600 ] A (default)

Drain-source currents for which the switch-on loss and switch-off-loss are defined. The first element must be zero. Specify this parameter using a vector quantity.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set On-state behavior and switching losses to Tabulate with temperature and current.

Integral Diode

Integral protection diode — Protection diode

Protection diode with no dynamics (default) | None | Protection diode with charge dynamics

Block integral protection diode. The default value is Protection diode with no dynamics.

The diodes you can select are:

• Protection diode with no dynamics

• Protection diode with charge dynamics

Diode model — Diode model

Piecewise Linear (default) | Tabulated I-V curve

Select one of these diode models:

• Piecewise Linear — Use a piecewise linear model for the diode, as described in Piecewise Linear Diode. This is the default method.

• Tabulated I-V curve — Use tabulated forward bias I-V data plus fixed reverse bias off conductance.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the thermal port is exposed and the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Table type — Tabulated function

Table in If(Tj,Vf) form (default) | Table in Vf(Tj,If) form

Whether to tabulate the current as a function of temperature and voltage or the voltage as a function of temperature and current.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the thermal port is exposed and the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics and Diode model is set to Tabulated I-V curve.

Forward voltage — Forward voltage

0.8 V (default)

Minimum voltage required across the + and - block ports for the gradient of the diode I-V characteristic to be 1/R_on, where R_on is the value of On resistance.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• If the thermal port is hidden, set Integral protection diode to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics.

• If the thermal port is exposed, set Integral protection diode to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics and Diode model to Piecewise linear.

On resistance — On resistance

0.001 Ohm (default)

Rate of change of voltage versus current above the Forward voltage.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter:

• If the thermal port is hidden, set Integral protection diode to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics.

• If the thermal port is exposed, set Integral protection diode to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics and Diode model to Piecewise linear.

Forward currents, If(Tj,Vf) — Vector of forward currents

[.07, .12, .19, 1.75, 4.24, 7.32, 11.2; .16, .3, .72, 2.14, 4.02, 6.35, 9.12] A (default) | nonnegative vector

Forward currents. This parameter must be a vector of at least three nonnegative elements.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, expose the thermal port and set Diode model to Tabulated I-V curve and Table type to Table in If(Tj,Vf) form.

Junction temperatures, Tj — Vector of junction temperatures

[25, 125] degC (default)

Vector of junction temperatures. This parameter must be a vector of at least two elements.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, expose the thermal port and set Diode model to Tabulated I-V curve.

Forward voltages, Vf — Vector of forward voltages

[.5, .7, .9, 1.3, 1.7, 2.1, 2.5] V (default)

Vector of forward voltages. This parameter must be a vector of at least three nonnegative values.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, expose the thermal port and set Diode model to Tabulated I-V curve and Table type to Table in If(Tj,Vf) form.

Forward voltages, Vf(Tj,If) — Vector of forward voltages

[.9, 1.15, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2.17, 2.6, 2.85; .58, .68, .75, 1.1, 1.38, 1.77, 2.27, 2.7] V (default) | nonnegative vector

Forward voltages. This parameter must be a vector of at least three nonnegative elements.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, expose the thermal port and set Diode model to Tabulated I-V curve and Table type to Table in Vf(Tj,If) form.

Forward currents, If — Vector of forward currents

[.1, .2, .5, 1, 2, 4, 7, 10] A (default)

Vector of forward currents. This parameter must be a vector of at least three nonnegative values.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, expose the thermal port and set Diode model to Tabulated I-V curve and Table type to Table in Vf(Tj,If) form.

Off conductance — Off conductance

1e-5 1/Ohm (default)

Conductance of the reverse-biased diode.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with no dynamics or Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Junction capacitance — Junction capacitance

50e-9 F (default)

Diode junction capacitance.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Peak reverse current, iRM — Peak reverse current

-235 A (default) | negative scalar

Peak reverse current measured by an external test circuit. This value must be less than zero. The default value is -235 A.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Initial forward current when measuring iRM — Initial forward current when measuring iRM

300 A (default) | positive scalar

Initial forward current when measuring peak reverse current. This value must be greater than zero.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Rate of change of current when measuring iRM — Rate of change of current when measuring iRM

-50A/μs (default) | negative scalar

Rate of change of current when measuring peak reverse current. This value must be less than zero.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Reverse recovery time parameterization — Reverse recovery time parameterization

Specify reverse recovery time directly (default) | Specify stretch factor | Specify reverse recovery charge

Determines how you specify reverse recovery time in the block. The default value is Specify reverse recovery time directly.

If you select Specify stretch factor or Specify reverse recovery charge, you specify a value that the block uses to derive the reverse recovery time. For more information on these options, see How the Block Calculates TM and Tau.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics.

Reverse recovery time, trr — Reverse recovery time

15 μs (default)

Interval between the time when the current initially goes to zero (when the diode turns off) and the time when the current falls to less than 10% of the peak reverse current. The value of the Reverse recovery time, trr parameter must be greater than the value of the Peak reverse current, iRM parameter divided by the value of the Rate of change of current when measuring iRM parameter.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify reverse recovery time directly.

Reverse recovery time stretch factor — Reverse recovery time stretch factor

3 (default)

Value that the block uses to calculate Reverse recovery time, trr. This value must be greater than 1. Specifying the stretch factor is an easier way to parameterize the reverse recovery time than specifying the reverse recovery charge. The larger the value of the stretch factor, the longer it takes for the reverse recovery current to dissipate.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify stretch factor.

Reverse recovery charge, Qrr — Reverse recovery charge

1500 μAs (default)

Value that the block uses to calculate Reverse recovery time, trr. Use this parameter if the data sheet for your diode device specifies a value for the reverse recovery charge instead of a value for the reverse recovery time.

The reverse recovery charge is the total charge that continues to dissipate when the diode turns off. The value must be less than $$-\frac{i^2{}_{RM}}{2a},$$

where:

• i_RM is the value specified for Peak reverse current, iRM.

• a is the value specified for Rate of change of current when measuring iRM.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify reverse recovery charge.

Diode turn-off voltage when measuring Erec — Diode turn-off voltage when measuring Erec

-600 V (default)

Voltage between the diode in steady-state.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify reverse recovery energy.

Stray inductance when measuring Erec — Stray inductance when measuring Erec

150 nH (default)

Total unintended inductance in the measurement circuit. The block uses this value to calculate Reverse recovery energy, Erec.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify reverse recovery energy.

Reverse recovery energy, Erec — Reverse recovery energy

0.03 J (default)

Total switching losses due to the diode reverse recovery.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when the Integral protection diode parameter is set to Protection diode with charge dynamics and the Reverse recovery time parameterization parameter is set to Specify reverse recovery energy.

For more information on these parameters, see Diode.

Thermal Port

Use the thermal port to simulate the effects of generated heat and device temperature. For more information on using thermal ports and on the Thermal Port parameters, see Simulating Thermal Effects in Semiconductors.

Model Examples

Power Factor Correction for CCM Boost Converter

Correct the power factor using a PFC pre-converter. This technique is useful when non-linear impedances, such as Switch Mode Power Supplies, are connected to an AC grid. As the current flowing through the inductor is never zero during the switching cycle, the boost converter operates in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM). The inductor current and the output voltage profiles are controlled using simple integral control. During start up, the reference output voltage is ramped up to the desired voltage.

Quantifying IGBT Thermal Losses

The generation of a temperature profile based on switching and conduction losses in an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). There are two buck converters. For one converter, the IGBT attaches to a Foster thermal model. For the other converter, the IGBT attaches to a Cauer thermal model. The parameters for the thermal models are tuned to give roughly equivalent results. At a simulation time of 50ms, the driving frequency changes from 40kHz to 20kHz, which increases the conduction losses and decreases the switching losses. The change in the losses results in a corresponding change in the temperature of the IGBT.

Totem-Pole PFC

Control the rectified voltage in a totem-pole power factor correction (PFC) circuit. MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 form the 50 kHz fast switching leg. MOSFETs Q3 and Q4 form the line frequency slow switching leg. The control subsystem uses a PI-based cascade control structure. The Scopes subsystem contains scopes that allow you to see the simulation results.

Compatibility Considerations

Update on switching losses and thermal modelling options

Behavior changed in R2020b

From R2020b forward, the MOSFET (Ideal, Switching) block has improved losses and thermal modelling options.

As a result of these changes:

• Electrical and thermal on-state losses are now always identical. The Thermal loss dependent on parameter and its options, Voltage and current and Voltage, current, and temperature, have been renamed to On-state behavior and switching losses, Specify constant values, and Tabulate with temperature and current:

  • If you selected Voltage and current for Thermal loss dependent on, then the electrical on-state losses are unchanged and their values are determined using the on-state resistance. However, the thermal on-state losses are now also determined by the on-state resistance. Prior to R2020b, the thermal on-state losses were defined by the product of the On-state voltage and Output current, Iout parameters.

  • If you selected Voltage, current, and temperature for Thermal loss dependent on, then the thermal on-state losses are unchanged and the On-state voltage, Vds(Tj,Ids) parameter sets their values. However, the electrical on-state losses are now equal to the thermal on-state losses. Prior to R2020b, the electrical on-state losses were defined by the value of the on-state resistance.

• The On-state voltage parameter is no longer used.

Removal of energy dissipation time constant parameter

Behavior changed in R2021a

From R2021a forward, the Energy dissipation time constant parameter of the MOSFET (Ideal, Switching) block is no longer used. A step in junction temperature now reflects the switching losses. If your model contains a thermal mass directly connected to this block thermal port, remove it and model the thermal mass inside the component itself.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.