Staff profile

Lydia is a PhD student in power electronics in the Department of Engineering. She graduated with a first class M.Eng. degree in Electronic engineering in 2020. Lydia’s project investigates the effect of circuit faults on the reliability of silicon carbide transistors. 

Research Project

Lydia’s project aims to identify the causes of failure arising from Massive Over Current events in Silicon Carbide power transistors used in aerospace applications. The superlative material properties of silicon carbide indicates that the ruggedness of Silicon Carbide transistors under short circuit conditions will be significantly higher than silicon based equivalent devices. However, due to the reduced dimensions of the transistor, additional failure mechanisms become apparent.

 By understanding failure under short circuit conditions, the project seeks to identify a safe turn off strategy for silicon carbide power transistors to ensure that electrical systems in aerospace can operate reliably under a wide range of fault conditions. This research will be a key contributor to the electrification of aircraft and net zero carbon emission goals.