Unit 1- POWER SEMI-CONDUCTOR DEVICES

Study of switching devices, -power diode, SCR, TRIAC, GTO, BJT, MOSFET, IGBT- Static and
Dynamic characteristics- Triggering and commutation circuit for SCR-Design of driver and snubber
circuit.

Power diode
Power semiconductor diode is the “power level” counter part of the “low power signal diodes” with
which most of us have some degree of familiarity. These power devices, however, are required to carry
up to several KA of current under forward bias condition and block up to several KV under reverse
biased condition. These extreme requirements call for important structural changes in a power diode
which significantly affect their operating characteristics. These structural modifications are generic in the
sense that the same basic modifications are applied to all other low power semiconductor devices (all of
which have one or more p-n junctions) to scale up their power capabilities.

(a) Power diode Symbol (b) power diode construction

Large blocking voltage requires wide depletion layer in order to restrict the maximum electric field
strength below the “impact ionization” level. requirements will be satisfied in a lightly doped p-n junction
diode of sufficient width to accommodate the required depletion layer. Such a construction, however, will
result in a device with high resistively in the forward direction. Consequently, the power loss at the
required rated current will be unacceptably high.
On the other hand if forward resistance (and hence power loss) is reduced by increasing the doping level,
reverse break down voltage will reduce. This apparent contradiction in the requirements of a power diode
is resolved by introducing a lightly doped “drift layer” of required thickness between two heavily doped p
and n layers as shown in (b).
Characteristics
Static or VI characteristics

(c) Static or
In forward bias voltage level required to conduct current is breakdown of barrier potential in order of 0.6
or 0.7 volts. Beyond this voltage diode conducts. Voltage and current are positive magnitude.
In reverse bias barrier gets widen and voltage required to breakdown is in the order of 70 volts. Voltage
and current are negative magnitude.
Dynamic Characteristics

d) Dynamic characteristics of power diode

t1- delay time, t2- rise time t3- delay time, t4+t5 (trr)- reverse recovery time
Switch on consists of delay time and rise time. Delay time- instant from diode is forward biased to starts
conduct. Rise time- instant from current increases from 10 % to 90 % of final value.
Switch off consists of delay time and reverse recovery time. Delay time- instant from diode is removed
of bias and current decreases from 90% to 10% of final value. Reverse recovery time- minority charge
carriers (negative charge) tries to maintain diode in conduction with current negative. Instant from
voltage increases in negative direction to voltage reaching barrier potential.

SCR- Silicon controlled Rectifier

• It has four layers (p,n,p,n) & three junction
• Inner ‘p’ layer is called Gate
• External ‘p” layer is called Anode
• External ‘n’ layer is called Cathode
• Unidirectional device like diodes
• Turn –on – Controlled
• Turn-off – Either external means (Forced commutation) Or Line or natural commutation
• Is inherently a slow switching device compared to BJT or MOSFET.
• Used as a latching switch that can be turned on by the control terminal but cannot be turned off by
the gate

SCR symbol and construction

Two transistor analogy of SCR

Characteristics
Static or VI characteristics

Static or VI characteristics of SCR

Three Modes:
• Reverse Blocking – voltage and current negative
• Forward Blocking- voltage positive but gate not triggered
• Forward Conducting – voltage positive and gate triggered

• Holding current (IH): Minimum current that can flow through the SCR and still hold it in on
state
• Latching current (IL): minimum Anode current required to maintain the SCR in the ON state
immediately after the switching ON state and the triggering signal has been removed
• IL -10-15mA; IH- 8-10mA
Dynamic or switching characteristics
Turn –On : Device change from forward blocking state to On state
• ton = td + tr + tp
td – Delay time tr - Rise time tp – Spread time
Turn –Off: Ia become zero and SCR regains its forward blocking capablity
• tq = trr + tgr
• tq= Turn off time (tc – commutation time) trr = Reverse recovery time tgr = Gate recovery time
TRIAC- TRIode for Alternating Current
• Bidirectional Triode Thyristor
• 5 Layers, 4 Junctions, 3 Terminal device
• Current conduction in both direction
• Terminals- Main Terminal1 (MT1), MT2, Gate

Symbol cross sectional view

Modes of operation (TRIAC)

VI characteristics of TRIAC
MT2 positive w.r.t MT1(operation is in the first quadrant)
MT2 negative w.r.t MT1 (operation is in the third quadrant)
 TRIAC static characteristics
GTO-Gate turn off thyristor
o Turned on by applying positive gate signal.
o Turned off by applying negative gate signal.
o On state voltage is 3.4V for 550A, 1200V GTO.
o Controllable peak on-state current ITGQ is the peak value of on-state current which can be turned-off by gate control.
Characteristics same as SCR but controlled off is available.

GTO- Static characteristics

BJT- Bipolar Junction Transistor

(c)Output Characteristics ;(a),(b),(c) static characteristic of BJT

• Cut off region(large resistance to flow of current)
 • Saturation region (quasi, hard)(high switching frequency, low frequency)
• Active region(used as an amplifier or as a series pass transistor in the voltage regulators)

Equivalent circuit of BJT

td-delay, tr-rise,ts-spread,tf-fall
Switching characteristics of MOSFET

MOSFET- Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistor

• Depletion type MOSFET
• Enhancement type MOSFET
• Combining the field effect concept and MOS technology
• Voltage controlled device
• Majority carriers device
• Low power high frequency converter
• Types: n-channel enhancement MOSFET
p-channel enhancement MOSFET
• n-channel enhancement MOSFET is more common because of higher mobility of electrons
Static characteristics of MOSFET

Transfer Characteristics
Switching Characteristics of MOSFET

tdon-on delay, t r-rise,tdoff-off delay, t f-fall

Switching Characteristics

IGBT- Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor

• Combination of BJT and MOSFET characteristics.
• Gate behaviour similar to MOSFET - easy to turn on and off.
• Low losses like BJT due to low on-state Collector-Emitter voltage (2-3V).
• Ratings: Voltage: VCE<3.3kV, Current,: IC<1.2kA currently available. Latest: HVIGBT
4.5kV/1.2kA.
• Switching frequency up to 100KHz. Typical applications: 20-50KHz.
Static Characteristics of IGBT

Switching Characteristics of IGBT

tdon-on delay, t r-rise,tdoff-off delay, t f1-fall (MOSFET), t f2-fall (BJT)

Triggering or Turn-on Methods of Thyristor

 Thermal Turn-on.
 Light.
 High Voltage.
 Gate Current.
 dv/dt.

Commutation circuit or Turn-off methods of SCR

Once a thyristor starts conducting then it continue to conduct till the current flowing through it reduced
below the holding current. It cannot be turned OFF through the gate terminal.
The term commutation means the transfer of currents from one path to another. So the commutation
circuit does this job by reducing the forward current to zero so as to turn OFF the SCR or Thyristor.
Classification of forced commutation methods
The six distinct classes by which the SCR can be turned off are:
Class A Self commutated by a resonating load
Class B Self commutated by an L-C circuit
Class C C or L-C switched by another load carrying SCR
Class D C or L-C switched by an auxiliary SCR
Class E An external pulse source for commutation
Class F AC line commutation
Class A, Self commutated by resonating the load
When the SCR is triggered, anode current flows and charges up C with the dot as positive. The L-C-R form a
second order under-damped circuit. The current through the SCR builds up and completes a half cycle. The
inductor current will then attempt to flow through the SCR in the reverse direction and the SCR will be turned off.
The capacitor voltage is at its peak when the SCR turns off and the capacitor discharges into the resistance in an
exponential manner. The SCR is reverse-biased till the capacitor voltages returns to the level of the supply voltage.

Class A Commutation
Class B, Self commutated by an L-C circuit
The Capacitor C charges up in the dot as positive before a gate pulse is applied to the SCR. When SCR is triggered,
the resulting current has two components.
The constant load current I flows through R - L load. This is ensured by the large reactance in series
load
with the load and the freewheeling diode clamping it. A sinusoidal current flows through the resonant L-C circuit
to charge-up C with the dot as negative at the end of the half cycle. This current will then reverse and flow through
the SCR in opposition to the load current for a small fraction of the negative swing till the total current through the
SCR becomes zero. The SCR will turn off when the resonant–circuit (reverse) current is just greater than the load
current.
The SCR is turned off if the SCR remains reversed biased for t > t , and the rate of rise of the reapplied voltage <
q off

the rated value.

Class B commutation

Class C, C or L-C switched by another load–carrying SCR

This configuration has two SCRs. One of them may be the main SCR and the other auxiliary. Both may be load
current carrying main SCRs. The configuration may have four SCRs with the load across the capacitor, with the
integral converter supplied from a current source. Assume SCR is conducting. C then charges up in the polarity
2
shown. When SCR is triggered, C is switched across SCR via SCR and the discharge current of C opposes the
1 2 1
flow of load current in SCR .
2
 Class C commutation
Class D, L-C or C switched by an auxiliary SCR
the load current is carried by only one of the SCR’s, the other acting as an auxiliary turn-off SCR. The auxiliary
SCR would have a resistor in its anode lead of say ten times the load resistance.

Class D commutation
Class E – External pulse source for commutation
The transformer is designed with sufficient iron and air gap so as not to saturate. It is capable of carrying the load
current with a small voltage drop compared with the supply voltage.
When SCR1 is triggered, current flows through the load and pulse transformer. To turn SCR off a positive pulse is
1
applied to the cathode of the SCR from an external pulse generator via the pulse transformer. The capacitor C is
only charged to about 1 volt and for the duration of the turn-off pulse it can be considered to have zero impedance.
Thus the pulse from the transformer reverses the voltage across the SCR, and it supplies the reverse recovery
current and holds the voltage negative for the required turn-off time.

Class E – External pulse source for commutation

Class F, AC line commutated
If the supply is an alternating voltage, load current will flow during the positive half cycle. With a highly inductive
load, the current may remain continuous for some time till the energy trapped in the load inductance is dissipated.
During the negative half cycle, therefore, the SCR will turn off when the load current becomes zero 'naturally'. The
negative polarity of the voltage appearing across the outgoing SCR turns it off if the voltage persists for the rated
turn-off period of the device. The duration of the half cycle must be definitely longer than the turn-off time of the
SCR.

Class F, natural commutation by supply voltage

DRIVER CIRCUIT (BASE / GATE)

Interface between control (low power electronics) and (high power) switch.
• Functions:
– amplifies control signal to a level required to drive power switch
– provides electrical isolation between power switch and logic level

Isolation is required to prevent damages on the high power switch to propagate back to low power electronics.

Power semiconductor devices can be categorized into 3 types based on their control input requirements:
a) Current-driven devices – BJTs, MDs, GTOs
b) Voltage-driven devices – MOSFETs, IGBTs, MCTs
c) Pulse-driven devices – SCRs, TRIACs

Current driver circuit

 Voltage driver circuit
Snubber circuit [Protection against Rate of rise of forward voltage, dv/dt]
The junctions of any semiconductor exhibit some unavoidable capacitance. A changing voltage impressed on this
junction capacitance results in a current, I = C dv/dt. If this current is sufficiently large a regenerative action may
occur causing the SCR to switch to the on state. This regenerative action is similar to that which occurs when gate
current is injected. The critical rate of rise of off-state voltage is defined as the maximum value of rate of rise of
forward voltage which may cause switching from the off-state to the on-state.
Since dv/dt turn-on is non-destructive, this phenomenon creates no problem in applications in which occasional
false turn-on does not result in a harmful affect at the load. Heater application is one such case. However, at large
currents where dv/dt turn-on is accompanied by partial turn-on of the device area a high di/dt occurs which then
may be destructive.
The majority of inverter applications, however, would result in circuit malfunction due to dv/dt turn-on.
One solution to this problem is to reduce the dv/dt imposed by the circuit to a value less than the critical dv/dt of
the SCR being used. Z represents load impedance and circuit impedance. Variations of the basic circuit is also
shown where the section of the network shown replaces the SCR and the R-C basic snubber.