2. Power Semiconductor Switches
• Diodes (Uncontrolled switches)
• Thyristors (Controllable at turn-on but
uncontrolled at turn-off or commonly called
as latched devices). Triac is under the same
category.
• BJT, MOSFET, IGBT, GTO, MCT etc. are
fully controllable switches.
5. Power diodes
Diodes are classified as:
- general purpose or line-frequency diodes
- Fast recovery diodes
- Schottky diodes
6. Schottky Diode
• The schottky diode has a smaller voltage
drop compared to conventional diodes
(about 0.3 V).
• The schottky diode has a smaller voltage
breakdown than conventional diodes (less
than 200 V).
9. Thyristor Model
I A = I E1
I B1
Q1
I C1 = −α1I E1 + I C 01
I C 2 = −α 2 I E 2 + I C 02
IC 2 I C1
IG α 2 I G + I C 01 + I C 02
IA =
Q2 1 − (α1 + α 2 )
I B2
IE2
10. Thyristor Classification
• Phase control thyristors
• Inverter-grade or fast-type thyristors
• Light activated thyristors
• Reverse conducting thyristors
11. Thyristor Features
• Latching devices
• Double carrier devices
• Having forward and reverse blocking
capabilities
• Very high gain (IA/Ig)
• Low on-state voltage
• Can be protected by fuse
14. Snubbers for Diodes and Thyristors
• Maximum dv/dt across diodes or thyristors
must be limited and can be done by using an
RC snubber that is connected in parallel to
the devices.
• Maximum di/dt through diodes or thyristors
must be limited and can be done by using an
inductor that is connected in series to the
devices.
15. Switching Characteristics
Gate
signal
vT
iT
Io Transistor
voltage & Ed Io
Ed iT current
tdon tdoff
vT t fv t fi
t ri t son = tri + t fv trv t
soff = t rv + t fi
1 1
Transistor Wson = Ed I ot son Wsoff = Ed I ot soff
2 2
power
Pcd
16. Desired Switch Characteristics
• Small leakage current in the off state
• Small on-state voltage
• Short turn-on and turn-off times
• Large forward and reverse blocking voltage capabilities
• High on-state current rating
• Positive temperature coefficient of on-state resistance
• Small control power
• Wide Safe Operating Area
• Large dv/dt and di/dt ratings
18. Losses
Switching losses :
(
Ps = 1 E d I o f s t son + t soff
2
)
fs is switching frequency.
Conduction losses :
TON
Pcd = Von I o
Ts
Ts is switching period.
19. Bipolar Junction Transistor
iC iB 5 iC
iB 4
C iB 3
C iC iB 2
iB iB1 = 0
N
B vCE vCE
B P
N
E iB 5 > iB 4 > iB 3 > iB 2 > iB1
E
20. VI characteristics of BJT
Hard - saturation
Quasi - saturation
Second breakdown
IC I B5
Primary
I B4
breakdown
I B3
I B2
I B1 IB < 0
vCE
BVSUS BVCB 0
I B0 = 0
21. Operating region
• Hard-saturation provides low voltage-drop but a
large storage time (turn-off time)
• Quasi-saturation provides high voltage-drop but a
small storage time.
• Second breakdown must be avoided by using a
snubber and proper base current control.
• Negative base current results in higher voltage
breakdown.
23. BJT Features
• Current controlled devices
• Double carrier devices
• No reverse blocking capability
• Low gain (Ic/Ib)
• Low on-state voltage
• Can not be protected by fuse
• Second breakdown problem
25. MOSFET
iD vGS 5 iD
vGS 4
D vGS 3
iD vGS 2
vGS1 = 0
G vDS v DS
S
vGS 5 > vGS 4 > vGS 3 > vGS 2 > vGS1
26. MOSFET Features
• Voltage controlled devices
• Single carrier devices
• High on-state voltage
• Very high gain
• No reverse blocking capability
• No second breakdown problem
• Can not be protected by fuse
30. GTO Features
• Controllable at turn-on and turn-off
• High-voltage capability
• Can be designed with reverse blocking
capabilty
• Low gain at turn-off
• Low on-state voltage
• High turn-off losses
31. Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs)
iC vGE 5
C vGE 4
iC vGE 3
vGE 2
vGE1 = 0
G vCE
E
vGE5 > vGE 4 > vGE3 > vGE 2 > vGE1
32. IGBT Features
• Combining the advantages of BJT and
MOSFET
• No reverse blocking capability
• No second breakdown
• High gain at turn on and turn off
33. Other Switching Devices
• Static Induction Transistor and Static Induction
Thyristor. The main problems are normally-on and
high conduction loss. The advantage is that the
speed is very high.
• MOS Controlled Thyristor. Combining the
advantages of MOSFET and Thyristor. Still under
development.
• IGCT (Integrated Gate Controlled Thyristor). This
is further development of GTOs.
34. Switching Device Development
ER
2000
POW
105 GTO : GATE TURN-OFF THYRISTOR
E
IV
DR MCT : MOS CONTROLLED THYRISTOR
THYRISTOR
H
Y SI Thy : STATIC INDUCTION THYRISTOR
NC
HIG
E
SY
BPT : BIPOLAR POWER TRANSISTOR
QU 104
EA
GTO
E
P (kVA)
IGBT : INSULATED GATE BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR
FR
G H
HI 1990
MCT SI Thy
CONTROLLABLE POWER
103
104
THYRISTOR IGBT
102
103 GTO
1980
BPT
P (kVA)
101
102
IGBT
MOS
104
THYRISTOR BPT
101 10-1 -1
103 10 100 101 102 104 105 106
P (kVA)
OPERATION FREQUENCY f (kHz)
GTO MOS
102
-1
10
10-1 100 101 102 104 105
101 BPT f (kHz)
10-1 -1
10 100 101 102 104
f (kHz)
38. Properties and Rating of
Semiconductor Power Switches
Switch Control Control Switching Voltage Maximum Maximum
signal characteristic frequency drop voltage current
rating rating
Diode medium 6.5 kV 5 kA
SCR current trigger low medium 6 kV 4 kA
TRIAC current trigger medium 1 kV 50 A
GTO current trigger low medium 6.5 kV 4.5 kA
BJT current linear medium low 1.5 kV 1 kA
MOSFET voltage linear Very high high 1 kV 200 A
IGBT voltage linear high medium 3.5 kV 2 kA
39. Properties of New Materials
Property Si GaAs 3C-SiC 6H-SiC Diamond
Bandgap at 300 K 1.12 1.43 2.2 2.9 5.5
(eV)
Relative dielectric 11.8 12.8 9.7 10 5.5
constant
Saturated drift
velocity (cm/s) 1x107 2x107 2.5x107 2.5x107 2.7x107
Thermal 1.5 0.5 5.0 5.0 20
conductivity
(W/cm/o C
Maximum 400 460 873 1240 1100
operating
temperature (K)
Melting 1415 1238 Sublime>1800 Sublime>1800 Phase change
temperature (C)
Electron mobility 1400 8500 1000 600 2200
at 300 K (cm2 /Vs)
Breakdown
electric field 3x105 4x105 4x106 4x106 1x107
(V/cm)
40. Applications
• Thyristor is only used for very large power
applications.
• Forced commutated thyristors are no longer used.
• Bipolar junction transistors are no longer used.
• MOSFET is commonly used in low-power
applications.
• IGBT is used from low-power up to medium
power applications.
• GTO is used for large power applications.
41. Loss Considerations
• Conduction losses
• Switching losses
• The loss will determine the junction
temperature and the heatsink and cooler
required.
• In many cases, the switching frequency is
limited by the temperature instead of device
speed.
42. Snubbers
• Turn-off losses can be reduced by using a turn-off
snubber. This snubber is also useful to limit high
dv/dt across the device.
• Turn-on losses can be reduced by using a turn-on
snubber. This snubber is also useful to limit high
di/dt through the device.
• Snubbers are useful to reduce the switching losses
on the switching devices. The total switching
losses, however, may still the same or even
increase.
44. Reducing Switching Losses
• Switching losses can be reduced by using lossless
snubbers. These snubbers, however, may make the
converter circuit became complicated.
• IGBTs may operate without snubbers.
• GTOs and IGCTs usually need a turn-off snubber
because of high tail current.
• Switching losses can be reduced or even
eliminated by using soft-switching techniques.
These methods, however, may increase the
required voltage and/or current ratings.