This page is a curriculum outline. Detailed lessons are still being developed.
Prerequisites: Foundations readiness map
Purpose
This stage introduces the physical parts used in power converters and teaches the difference between ideal symbols and real components.
Core Topics
- resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, and magnetic cores
- diodes, Schottky diodes, MOSFETs, IGBTs, SiC MOSFETs, and GaN HEMTs
- gate drivers, bootstrap circuits, isolation, sensors, fuses, and connectors
- datasheets and absolute maximum ratings
- parasitic resistance, capacitance, inductance, leakage, saturation, ESR, ESL, and thermal resistance
- packages, layout influence, and component selection tradeoffs
Must-Know Ideas
- Every component has an ideal behavior and a real behavior.
- Switching devices are controlled valves for energy flow.
- Datasheets are engineering contracts, not marketing brochures.
- Parasitics often decide whether a design is quiet, efficient, reliable, or unstable.
- Thermal limits are electrical limits in disguise.
Practice Projects
- Compare three MOSFET datasheets for the same voltage class.
- Estimate conduction loss for a diode and a MOSFET.
- Identify ESR and ripple current limits in capacitor datasheets.
- Build a component glossary with AI-generated explanations and your own corrections.
Exit Criteria
Before moving on, the learner should be able to:
- explain what each major component does in a converter
- read the most important fields in a MOSFET, diode, capacitor, and inductor datasheet
- estimate simple conduction loss
- recognize why real components deviate from ideal models
Continue: Steady-state converters