A Comprehensive Guide for Optimizing the switching of an Automotive Grade MOSFET in a Half-Bridge Topology

This paper is written as a comprehensive guide to assist students and practicing engineers in optimizing a half-bridge MOSFET switching circuit used in the automotive industry with a 12V DC bus. Mathematical calculations for sizing gate resistors and gate-source capacitors, ways to avoid dv/dt-induced false turn-on of MOSFETs, and a snubber circuit for minimizing parasitic oscillation at switching nodes are presented. The entire study has been validated through LTspice simulations using a half-bridge circuit with realistic parasitics in the current path.