1

Chapter 2

Semiconductor Power Switches

“Introduction to Modern Power Electronics”, 2nd Ed., John Wiley 2010by

Andrzej M. Trzynadlowski

Chapter 2 2

Waveforms of voltage, current, and power loss in a semiconductor power switch

i

v

T

p = vi

tO N tO FF

t

t

Fig. 2.1

Chapter 2 3

Power diode: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

ANODE

CATHODE

(a)

p

n

A

(b)

C

V

I

Fig. 2.2

Chapter 2 4

Static voltage-current characteristic of the power diode

I

FMI VFM

VRB

IRM

V

Fig. 2.3

Chapter 2 5

Voltage and current waveforms during the reverse recovery period in a power diode

V

FI

F

i

v

R

V

RMV

rrt

rriI rrM

di rr

dt

t

Fig. 2.4

Chapter 2 6

TABLE 2.1 Example High-Power Diodes

______________________________________________________________________________

Symbol: RDK86040 R7014405 R9G23615 R6031635

(Powerex) (Powerex) (Powerex) (Powerex)

Type: General Purpose General Purpose Fast Recovery Fast Recovery

Case: Disc Stud Disc Stud

VRRM: 6 kV 4.4 kV 3.6 kV 1.6 kV

IF(av): 4 kA 0.55 kA 1.5 kA 0.35 kA

IF(rms): 6.3 kA 0.86 kA 2.35 kA 0.55 kA

IFSM: 60 kA 10 kA 18 kA 6 kA

I2t: 1.5×107 A2s 4.2×105 A2s 1.35×106 A2s 1.5×105 A2s

VFM: 1.65 V 1.2 V 1.65 V 1.5 V

IRRM: 300 mA 50 mA 75 mA 50 mA

trr: 25 µs 15 µs 5 µs 2 µs

Diameter: 132 mm 38 mm 74 mm 27 mm

Height: 38 mm 96 mm 28 mm 79 mm

______________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2 7

SCR: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

ANODE

CATH ODE

GATE

p

p

n

n

(a ) (b )

A

C

G

I

V

iG

Fig. 2.5

Chapter 2 8

Static voltage-current characteristic of the SCR

I

VVRB

VFB

FI VTM

IL

IH

iG > 0 iG = 0

Fig. 2.6

Chapter 2 9

SCR gate voltage signals: (a) single pulse, (b) multipulse

vG

t0

(a)

t0

(b)

Fig. 2.7

Chapter 2 10

Anode voltage and current waveforms during forced commutation of the SCR

V

FI

F

i

v

D

t

rrt

VR

V tOFF

Fig. 2.8

Chapter 2 11

TABLE 2.2 Example High-Power SCRs

______________________________________________________________________________

Symbol: 5STP 12N8500 5STP 50Q1800 C770L T7071430

(ABB) (ABB) (Powerex) (Powerex)

Type: Phase Control Phase Control Fast Switching Fast Switching

Case: Disc Disc Disc Stud

VRRM/VDRM: 8 kV 1.8 kV 2 kV 1.4 kV

IT(av): 1.2 kA 6.1 kA 2.1 kA 0.3 kA

IT(rms): 1.88 kA 9.6 kA 3.3 kA 0.475 kA

ITSM: 35 kA 94 kA 38 kA 8 kA

I2t: 6×106 A2s 4.3×107 A2s 6×106 A2s 2.65×105 A2s

VTM: 2 V 1.04 V 1.55 V 1.45 V

IRRM/IDRM: 400 mA/1 A 300 mA 100 mA 30 mA

tON: 3 µs 3 µs 2 µs 3 µs

tOFF: 600 µs 500 µs 100 µs 60 µs

IGT: 400 mA 400 mA 300 mA 150 mA

VGT: 2.6 V 2.6 V 3 V 3 V

Diameter: 150 mm 150 mm 110 mm 38 mm

Height: 35 mm 35 mm 37 mm 106 mm

______________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 2 12

Triac: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

G A T E

M AIN T E R M IN A L 2

M A IN T E R M IN AL 1

M T 2

M T 1

V

G

Ii G

(a) (b)

n p

n

n p n

Fig. 2.9

Chapter 2 13

GTO: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

CATH OD E

G ATE

A

C

G

(b )(a )

AN O D E

p

n

pn

Fig. 2.10

Chapter 2 14

Circuit symbol of the IGCT

Fig. 2.11

I

V

A

C

iGG

Chapter 2 15

TABLE 2.3 Example IGCTs

______________________________________________________________________________

Symbol: 5SHY42L6500 5SHY55L4500 5SHX19L6010 5SHX26L4510

(ABB) (ABB) (ABB) (ABB)

Type: Asymmetric Asymmetric Reverse Cond. Reverse Cond.

VDRM: 6.5 kV 4.5 kV 5.5 kV 4.5 kV

IT(av): 1.27 kA 1.86 kA 0.84 kA 1.01 kA

IT(rms): 2.00 kA 2.92 kA 1.32 kA 1.59 kA

ITSM: 26 kA 33 kA 18 kA 17 kA

I2t: 3.38×106 A2s 5.45×105 A2s 1.62×106 A2s 1.45×105 A2s

VTM: 2.0 V 1.15 V 1.9 V 1.8 V

IDRM: 50 mA 50 mA 50 mA 50 mA

tON: 40 µs 12 µs 11.5 µs 11.5 µs

tOFF: 40 µs 15 µs 14 µs 14 µs

IGQM: 4.2 kA 5.5 kA 1.8 kA 2.2 kA

Eoff: 44 J 31.5 J 11 J 12 J

Length: 429 mm 429 mm 429 mm 429 mm

Height: 40 mm 40 mm 40 mm 40 mm

Width: 173 mm 173 mm 173 mm 173 mm

______________________________________________________________________________

IGQM – maximum controllable turn-off gate current, Eoff – turn-off energy per pulse of gate current

Chapter 2 16

BJT: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

COLLECT OR

EMIT TER

BASE

(a ) (b )

E

C

p

n

nV

IBCE

I

IC

E

B

Fig. 2.12

Chapter 2 17

Static voltage-current characteristic of the BJT

V C E

IC

H A R D S A T UR A T IO N L IN E

Q U A S I-S A T UR A T IO N L IN E

ON

OFF

B

I

Fig. 2.13

Chapter 2 18

Base current and collector current waveforms for turn-on and turn-off of a BJT

IBIB0.9

IB t

i B

iI

I0.9C

CC

IC0.1

0.1

t O FF

tO N

t

Fig. 2.14

Chapter 2 19

BJT Darlington connections: (a) two-transistor, (b) three-transistor

Fig. 2.15

(a) (b)

C

E

B

C

E

B

Chapter 2 20

Power MOSFET: (a) semiconductor structure, (b) circuit symbol

Fig. 2.16

n

p

n

(a) (b)

S O U R C E

D R AIN

G A TE

O X ID E

M E T A L

D

G

S

VD S

ID

Chapter 2 21

Voltage-current characteristics of power MOSFET

Fig. 2.17

CONSTANT RESISTANCE LINES ON

OFF VDS

ID

VGS

Chapter 2 22

TABLE 2.4 Example High-Power MOSFETs

______________________________________________________________________________

Symbol: VMO 650-01F IXFB 100N50P APT45M100J STP4N150

(IXYS) (IXYS) (Microsemi) (STMicroel,)

VDSS: 100 V 500 V 1000 V 1500 V

ID: 690 A 100 A 45 A 4 A

VGS: 20 V 30 V 30 V 30 V

IGS: 0.5 µA 0.2 µA 0.1 µA 0.1 µA

RDS: 1.8 mΩ 49 mΩ 170 mΩ 5 Ω

tON: 500 ns 36 ns 85 ns 35 ns

tOFF: 800 µs 110 ns 285 ns 45 ns

Size: 110×62×30 mm 26×20×5 mm 38×25×12 mm 16×10×5 mm

______________________________________________________________________________

RDS – static drain-source on resistance, IGS – gate leakage current

Chapter 2 23

IGBT: (a) equivalent circuit, (b) circuit symbol

Fig. 2.18

C

E

G

C

G

I

VCE

C

E

Chapter 2 24

Voltage-current characteristics of IGBT

Fig. 2.19

IC

GE

V

ON

OFF

VCE

Chapter 2 25

TABLE 2.5 Example IGBTs

_____________________________________________________________________________

Symbol: 5SNA 2400E170100 5SNA 1500E330300 5SNA 0600G650100

(ABB) (ABB) (ABB)

VCE: 1.7 kV 3.3 kV 6.5 kV

IC: 2.4 kA 1.5 kA 0.6 kA

IFSM: 20 kA 14 kA 6 kA

VCE(sat): 2.6 V 3 V 5.4 V

IGES: 0.5 µA 0.5 µA 0.5 µA

tON: 0.32 µs 0.57 µs 0.57 µs

tOFF: 1.1 µs 1.68 µs 1.86 µs

Size: 190×140×38 mm 190×140×38 mm 190×140×48 mm

_____________________________________________________________________________

VCE(sat) – collector-emitter saturation voltage, IGES – gate leakage current

Chapter 2 26

Safe operating area for a power MOSFET

Fig. 2.20

P E AK -CU R RE NT L IMIT

AVE R AG E -C U RR E N T LIM IT

V

ID

DS

P E AK-VO LTAG E LIM IT

O N -S TATE R ES IS TAN C E L IMIT

t =

t = 0.1 m s

t = 1 m s

SO A

TEMP E R ATU R ELIM IT

Chapter 2 27

TABLE 2.6 Properties and Maximum Ratings of Semiconductor Power Switches

_____________________________________________________________________________

Type Switching Switching Switching Forward Rated Rated Signal Characteristic Frequency Voltage Voltage Current

_____________________________________________________________________________

Diode 20 kHz1 1.2–1.7 V 6.5 kV 10 kA

SCR current trigger 0.5 kHz 1.5–2.5 V 8 kV 6 kA

Triac current trigger 0.5 kHz 1.5–2 V 1.4 kV2 0.1 kA2

GTO current trigger 2 kHz 3–4 V 6 kV 6 kA

IGCT current trigger 5 kHz 3-4 V 6.5 kV 6 kA

BJT current linear 20 kHz 1.5–3 V 1.5 kV 1.2 kA

MOSFET voltage linear 1 MHz 3–4 V 1.5 kV 1.8 kA

IGBT voltage linear 20 kHz 3–4 V 6.5 kV 2.4 kA

______________________________________________________________________________ 1 Fast recovery diodes. General purpose diodes operate at 50 or 60 Hz. 2 BCTs (bi-directionally controlled thyristors), whose operating principle is similar to that of the triac,

reach 6.5 kV of rated voltage and 5.5 kA of rated current.

Chapter 2 28

Example diode and SCR modules

Fig. 2.21

(d)

(c)

(a)

(b)

Chapter 2 29

Example power BJT (Darlington) modules

Fig. 2.22

(c)

(a)

(b)

Chapter 2 30

Example power MOSFET modules

Fig. 2.23

(a)

(b )

(c)

Chapter 2 31

IGBT-based modular frequency changer

Fig. 2.24