Rigorous testing and advanced characterization methods help design engineers enhance the performance, efficiency and reliability of their power electronic designs based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices, used in pioneering industries like e-mobility, renewable energy or artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Rohde & Schwarz will bring a selection of its comprehensive test and measurement portfolio to booth 166 in hall 7 of PCIM Expo 2025, taking place from May 6 to May 8 at the Nuremberg, Germany, Exhibition Center. The test solutions are tailored for power electronics applications where high efficiency, fast switching speeds, improved power density and high-temperature operation matter.
Wide bandgap analysis
At the center of the presented setups will be the R&S RT-ZISO isolated probing system from Rohde & Schwarz. This next generation isolated probe has set new standards with unprecedented accuracy, sensitivity, dynamic range and bandwidth for wide bandgap (WBG) power designs with SiC and GaN. Rohde & Schwarz will showcase the advantage of the isolated probing system over single-ended probes in a setup to investigate the switching behavior of a GaN-metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).
The R&S RT-ZISO isolated probing system takes center stage at PCIM Expo 2025. Source: Rohde & Schwarz
Double pulse testing
Double pulse testing is a method for evaluating the switching performance of SiC and GaN based power devices. Rohde & Schwarz is collaborating with industry expert PE-Systems GmbH for a stable and accurate approach to double pulse testing using the R&S MXO 5 next generation oscilloscope from Rohde & Schwarz with eight channels in combination with the R&S RT-ZISO. At PCIM, visitors can experience accurate, reliable and fast double pulse testing on 1,200 V SiC devices from Wolfspeed, typically used as traction inverters in the automotive industry.
Automated loadjump testing
Loadjump testing used to be a time-consuming manual process to verify a buck converter’s load step response at varying input voltage levels, using only a few reference points. For this application, as well, Rohde & Schwarz collaborates with PE-Systems GmbH, who offers a test automation software. In combination with the MXO 5 oscilloscope and the R&S RT-ZISO isolated probing system, this solution not only reduces overall testing time but also maintains the same number of test points. At PCIM, the companies demonstrate automated loadjump testing of a buck converter of Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. within a voltage range of 6 V to 60 V. The setup even allows for more reference points within the same timeframe and can be extended to include temperature control, facilitating the full automation of input voltage, load current and temperature profile variations.
Component characterization
Rohde & Schwarz will also showcase its solutions for component characterization. The R&S LCX LCR meters with customized impedance measurement functions are suitable for all discrete passive components up to 10 MHz. Users can easily characterize the voltage dependence of capacitances in core components of power converters like MLCCs with the R&S LCX. Combined with a sweep software tool, users can perform comprehensive sweep measurements and display them in numerous charts. The MFIA impedance analyzer from Zurich Instruments AG (a subsidiary since 2021) is capable of impedance spectroscopy for both low impedance components such as shunt resistors and DC-link capacitors and high impedance systems. It offers measurement modes for impedance analysis over frequency and time as well as other features such as integrated oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer capabilities.
Dr. Philipp Weigell, vice president of the industry, components, research and university market segment at Rohde & Schwarz, explained: “PCIM Expo is an important venue for us to highlight our advancements in wide bandgap semiconductor testing. Testing plays a critical role to improve power efficiency, reduce size, and manage heat more effectively in power conversion applications used in AI data centers, for instance. Through collaboration with industry experts and with our advanced testing solutions we enable our customers to develop reliable and efficient systems that meet the rigorous demands of modern data processing applications.”
Rohde & Schwarz will present these and other advanced test solutions at PCIM Expo 2025, from May 6 to May 8, at booth 166, hall 7 of Nuremberg Exhibition Center.
