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Power Semiconductor Devices

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1 Power Semiconductor Devices

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A brief survey of power semiconductor devices

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Power diodes

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Power MOSFETs
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs)
Thyristors (SCR, GTO)

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On resistance vs. breakdown voltage vs.
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switching times
Minority carrier and majority carrier devices
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Power Electronics 2 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The power diode

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Appearance

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Construction Symbol
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Power Electronics 3 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Reverse-biased power diode

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Power Electronics 4 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Forward-biased power diode

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Power Electronics 5 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical power diode characteristics

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Power Electronics 6 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical diode switching waveforms

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Power Electronics 7 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Types of power diodes

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Standard recovery

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Reverse recovery time not specified, intended for 50/60Hz
Fast recovery and ultra-fast recovery
Reverse recovery time and recovered charge specified

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Intended for converter applications
Schottky diode
A majority carrier device
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Essentially no recovered charge
Model with equilibrium i-v characteristic, in parallel with
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depletion region capacitance
Restricted to low voltage (few devices can block 100V or
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Power Electronics 8 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Characteristics of several commercial power
rectifier diodes

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Power Electronics 9 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The power MOSFET

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Power Electronics 10 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The construction of Power MOSFET

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Power Electronics 11 Power Semiconductor Devices

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MOSFET: Off state

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Power Electronics 12 Power Semiconductor Devices

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MOSFET: On state

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Power Electronics 13 Power Semiconductor Devices

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MOSFET body diode

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Power Electronics 14 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical MOSFET characteristics (1)

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Power Electronics 15 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical MOSFET characteristics (2)

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Power Electronics 16 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Power MOSFET switching waveform

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Power Electronics 17 Power Semiconductor Devices

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A simple MOSFET equivalent circuit

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Power Electronics 18 Power Semiconductor Devices

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power MOSFETs

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Power Electronics 19 Power Semiconductor Devices

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MOSFET: conclusion

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A majority-carrier device: fast switching speed

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Typical switching frequencies: tens and
hundreds of kHz
On-resistance increases rapidly with rated

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blocking voltage
Easy to drive
The device of choice for blocking voltages less than
500V U
1000V devices are available, but are useful only at low power
levels(100W)
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Part number is selected on the basis of on-resistance rather than
current rating
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Power Electronics 20 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)

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Power Electronics 21 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The construction of IGBT

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Power Electronics 22 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The equivalent circuit of IGBT

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Power Electronics 23 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical IGBT characteristics

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Power Electronics 24 Power Semiconductor Devices

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IGBT switching waveform

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Power Electronics 25 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Current tailing in IGBTs

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Power Electronics 26 Power Semiconductor Devices

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commercial devices

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Power Electronics 27 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Conclusions: IGBT

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Becoming the device of choice in 500-1700V applications, at

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power levels of 1-1000kW
Positive temperature coefficient at high current easy to
parallel and construct modules

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Forward voltage drop: diode in series with on-resistance.
2- 4V typical
Easy to drive similar to MOSFET
Slower than MOSFET, but faster than Darlington, GTO, SCR
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Typical switching frequencies: 3-30kHz
IGBT technology is rapidly advancing next generation:
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2500V
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Power Electronics 28 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The Thyristor (silicon controlled rectifier, SCR)

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Power Electronics 29 Power Semiconductor Devices

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construction of thyristor

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Power Electronics 30 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Typical thyristor characteristics

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Power Electronics 31 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Thyristor switching waveform

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Power Electronics 32 Power Semiconductor Devices

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turned off via gate control

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Power Electronics 33 Power Semiconductor Devices

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The Gate Turn-Off Thyristor (GTO)

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Power Electronics 34 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Summary: Thyristors

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The thyristor family: double injection yields lowest forward

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voltage drop in high voltage devices. More difficult to
parallel than MOSFETs and IGBTs

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The SCR: highest voltage and current ratings, low cost,
passive turn-off transition

The GTO: intermediate ratings (less than SCR, somewhat

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more than IGBT). Slower than IGBT. Slower than MCT.
Difficult to drive.
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The MCT: So far, ratings lower than IGBT. Slower than IGBT.
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Easy to drive. Still emerging devices?

Power Electronics 35 Power Semiconductor Devices

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 Summary of power semiconductor
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devices

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1. Majority carrier devices, including the MOSFET and Schottky diode, exhibit
very fast switching times, controlled essentially by the charging of the

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device capacitances. However, the forward voltage drops of these devices
increases quickly with increasing breakdown voltage.

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2. Minority carrier devices, including the BJT, IGBT, and thyristor family, can
exhibit high breakdown voltages with relatively low forward voltage drop.
However, the switching times of these devices are longer, and are
controlled by the times needed to insert or remove stored minority charge.
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3. Energy is lost during switching transitions, due to a variety of mechanisms.
The resulting average power loss, or switching loss, is equal to this energy
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loss multiplied by the switching frequency. Switching loss imposes an
upper limit on the switching frequencies of practical converters.
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Power Electronics 36 Power Semiconductor Devices

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Two classifications based on carriers

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Classification I Classification II

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Power Electronics 37 Power Semiconductor Devices

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