Power Semiconductor Switches

Pekik Argo Dahono

 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.
 Power Diodes

A A i AK i AK

A
P
P
N v AK v AK
N
N
K

K K
 Reverse Recovery Problems

VFD

S
t rr
I FD

Ed FD Io

IS
Io
 Power diodes
Diodes are classified as:
- general purpose or line-frequency diodes
- Fast recovery diodes
- Schottky diodes
 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).
Sample of diodes
 Thyristor
A iA

iA
Forward
conduction

Anode
P
Holding
current IG IG IG IG = 0
2 1
3

N
v AK
Forward
Gate Reverse Forward
G P leakage
leakage breakover
voltage
Avalanche
N Cathode breakdown

K
 Thyristor Model
I A I E1
I B1
Q1
I C1 1I E1 I C 01
I C 2 2 I E 2 I C 02
IC 2 I C1
IG 2 I G I C 01 I C 02
IA
Q2 1 1 2
I B2
IE2
 Thyristor Classification
Phase control thyristors
Inverter-grade or fast-type thyristors
Light activated thyristors
Reverse conducting thyristors
 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
Sample of thyristors
Thyristor Modules
 Switching Characteristics

Gate
signal

vT
iT
Io Transistor
voltage& Ed Io
Ed iT current

vT tdon tdoff
t fv t fi
tri tson tri t fv trv t t t
soff rv fi
1 1
Transistor Wson Ed I otson Wsoff Ed I otsoff
2 2
power

Pcd
 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
 Losses
Switching losses :

Ps 12 Ed I o f s t son t soff
fs is switching frequency.
Conduction losses :
TON
Pcd Von I o
Ts
Ts is switching period.
 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 E iB5 iB 4 iB3 iB 2 iB1

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 BVCB0
I B0 0
 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.
Antisaturation circuit
 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
Darlington Configuration
C

B1 T1

T2
R1 R2

B2 E
 MOSFET
Gate
Source SiO2

N+ N+
P P

N-

N+

Drain

D-MOS structure

iD vGS 5 iD
vGS 4
D vGS 3
iD vGS 2
vGS1 0
G vDS vDS

S
vGS 5 vGS 4 vGS 3 vGS 2 vGS1
 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
Integrated Power MOSFET
Df +VDC

Cf
S1
G1
Top Drive & Is 1
Overcurrent
Protection RS

VDD Level Shifting VOUT

Output Voltage
Detector
Top Timing S2
Control Logic
G2
Bottom & Phase Status
Bot Drive & Is 2
Overcurrent
Protection RS
Fault
Gate-Turn-Off (GTO) Thyristor
iA

Forward
conduction

Anode Blocking
condition

v AK
Forward
Gate Reverse
leakage
leakage

Cathode Avalanche
breakdown
GTO switching characteristic
Anode
voltage

Anode IA
current Vd

Spike
voltage Tail
current

0
Time

IGR

(b)
 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
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs)
COLLECTOR

P+

N-

RN- (MOD) +

P+ -
P P

N+ N+
GATE

EMITTER

iC vGE5
C vGE 4
iC vGE3
vGE 2
vGE1 0
G vCE

E
vGE5 vGE4 vGE3 vGE2 vGE1
 IGBT Features
Combining the advantages of BJT and
MOSFET
No reverse blocking capability
No second breakdown
High gain at turn on and turn off
 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.
 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
GH
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
10-1 -1
10 100 101 102 104 105
1
10 BPT f (kHz)
10-1 -1
10 100 101 102 104
f (kHz)
 Reverse Conducting and
Reverse Blocking Switching Devices

Reverseconducting Reverse blocking

Bidirectional Switches
Switching devices
Ideal Switch

Unidirectional uncontrolled switch

Unidirectional semicontrolled switch

Bidirectional semicontrolled switch

Reverse conducting fully controlled switch

Reverse conducting fully controlled switch

Reverse blocking fully controlled switch

Bidirectional fully controlled switch

 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
 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)
 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.
 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.