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    HEXFRED Ultrafast Diode PDF

    Uploaded by

    Vito L

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Intemational cD a Tevet a an NOTES FE WSE=e a TSCM Sent Pees) The HEXFRED™ Ultrafast Diode in Power Switching Circuits (HEXFRED Is @ tracemark of International Rectifer) by ¥. Khersonsky, M. Robinson, D. Gutierrez Introduction ‘This application note deseribes the benefits of using the International Rectifier 600 volt, 1S amp, wiea fast | recovery epitanial diode (FRED) in power switching | iis Ts ev thei tom abroad family | covering a wide range of curtent and vokage ratings, is based on the new HEXFRED technology developed by International Rectifier Diodes produced using tis technology exhibit extremely fast reverse recovery times (gp) very low values of reverse recovery cutent (ga ‘unusually soft” recovery characteristics, and guaranteed avalanche (ee Figures Ia and Ib), ‘The essentials of reverse recovery ae covered, followed et oe by laboratory measurements taken from an IGBT chopper oc | lane ‘iret. Finally, guidelines are provided for calelating Vena Se cre Dower losses in ukra-fest rectifiers a ee characters or the HFAISTBGD HEXFRED ane rt 500s spre RECOVERY LONE RECDERY ANA ‘ero | | ae alee a8 Figure 4). Tpicel yr comparison resuls ofthe HFAISTBGO HEXFRED and conventional FRED HEXFRED Technology HEXFRED stands for HEXagonal Ultra-Fast Recovery Epitaxial Diode. The HEXFRED technology incurporsics special high voltage epitaxial silicon, a hexagonal cellular structure, planar design, and a proprietary minority carrier lifetime control process. The result isa startling improvement in recovery characteristics when compares te conventional ultrafast diodes. HEXFREDs are pin-for-pin compatible with conventional diodes and can therefore be used as direct replacements ‘with no design modifications. However, the designer ean achieve the greatest cost benefits’ and efficiency improvements by taking full advantage of both the low reverse recovery current which will cause the power ‘itclies ws run at auch lower temperarures, and the ulrac soft recovery which will result in lower RFI, EMI, and reduction of elimination of snubber components. Diode Recovery Characteriatics In any power conversion equipment thee are usualy more diodes than transistors. They are typically labeled as “catch diodes,” ‘flyback diodes” freewheeling diodes” and ‘clamp diodes" A detailed knowledge ot how “ast” and how “soft” the diode recovery should be is necessary to properly design an efficient switching circuit. By properly choosing the optimum diode the designer can ‘gnificently reduce losses in the power switch the diode, ‘and many other circuit clements. Additionally, the ‘optimum diode wll reduce voltage spikes, RFI and EMI caused by snappy diodes allowing for the reduction or ven the elimination of soubber circuits The Cause of Recovery Losses Al PN junction diodes, when conducting forward current ‘will store charge inthe form of excess minority eanie.s. Minority carrier injection is the mechanism for conductivity modulation which results in lowering the forward voltage drop (Vs), and in this sense it is beneficial. However, when the circuit commutates the diode, the stored charge must be completely extracted or ‘neutralized before the diode is said to be “off.” The time it takes fr this to occu is defined as reverse recovery time (ter). The recovery time is composed of two distinct intervals tg and (as shown in Figure 2, More will be said about ta and ty later. ‘A diode conducting forward current (Iy) has a cor- responding forward voltage drop (Vs) and an amount of stored charge (Qo) which is proportional to Ty. When the diode current commutates, a portion of the intemal stored charge is quickly neutralized via internal recombination. ‘The remaining stored charge (Qr) is reduced by continued recombination and by reverse current (Ing) circulating through the diode and associated cireuit elements. ‘When the power switch commutates the diode, forward current (Ie) decreases ata rate (GiF/40) determined by the ‘teu inductance and the applied voltage. When the diode current decreases to zero, Qrr causes reverse current (Ing) to flow until itis fully depleted. It is this unwanted and ‘unavoidable reverse current that causes increased power dissipation in the power switch (IGBT, MOSFET, ete) Figure 2. Diode current and voltage wavetorm definitions tr “The tou time required wo deplete the stored change i defined as tg where trp = ta + tb. The try of a device is generally ued asthe measure of its switching speed and. will determine i's suitability fora given application. The te specications on power diodes given at ane amp are for comparison purposes only, International Rectifier HEXFREDs are specified with both typical and ‘maximum tat rated current and two times rated current, as well as at 25°C and 125°C. See Figures 3 and 4, ‘Tae time required for the diode reverse current (Iga) 10 Increane (show iw Figuce 2) from zero to its peak (Igaa) negative value is defined as “ta.” During this portion of ts the voltage drop across the diode is still positive; however, it is less than the value of Vf during forward conduction. The current flowing during tq can be significant, especially in conventional diodes. Thus, due to the low voltage across the diode, power dissipation in the diode during tq is minimal. However, power dissipation in the switch may be very high because it carries the fll diode reverse current while it supports the full voltage of the circuit. In short, a diode with lower reverse current will allow the power switch to operate at 8 lower temperature. in some designs, this savings may result in using a smaller, lower cost 1Gis1 or MOSFET switch, tb ‘The time required for tyr to fall from its peak value (yay) to zero {shown in Figure 2) is defined as “1p” ‘During this time the volage across the diode goes from a small positive value o the full applied reverse voltage, Because there is simultaneous reverse current flow through the diode and high voltage across it during tp thee will be significant power dissipation in the diode. intuitively ‘one would eason that to minimize the power loss during, th one should use the diode with the shortest tp. However, a5 willbe shown, the actual shape ofthe ty curve is more critical than the’ absolute value of tp Orr ‘The total reverse recovered charge (Qr) is defined as the area under the curren-time curve during tr. This charge represents the energy that must be dissipated in the power switching side of the citcuit. International Rectifier HEXFRED data sheets provide typical and maximum values for Qyr at worst case operating conditions (see Figures 5 and'6). Figure 3. Typical Reverse Recovery Time vs. dist Figure 4. Typical Reverse Recovery Time vs. itt 00 1 100 we 2008 vr n00¥ “ae Crt ol ase aves) Figure 8. Typical Stored Charge vs. ditt Figure 6, Typical Stored Charge vs. ott Softness, di(rec)Midt, and thts ‘When specifying softness semiconductor manufacturers generally us either the ratio of tp/ta (softness factor) or the peak slope oft, The later called di(reM/tis the sore useful in predicting the magnitude of the voltage spikes that willbe generated by the FRED device. Using the ratio of th/ta as the softness factor can be misleading. Ultrafast recovery epitaxial diodes with the same softness ratio may cause different values of RFI and coes-volage spikes. Figure 7 sows te yavefouns of ee FRED devices all with the same rato of th/tg. Notice that cach FRED has a different softness and a different irec)M/dt. This clearly illustrates that th/tg used as a softness factor is misleading. Further more, armed with the knowiedge of di(tee)M/at and the inductance of the circuit one can predict the magnitude of the voltage spike: Vw = Ve +L ditree)Msdt Where L is the total cireuit induetance. CCare should be taken since the voltage spike resulting from a snappy recovery may exceed the voltage rating of the power switch, International Rectifier specifies its HEXFRED typical values of di(re)M/dt at the same test conditions as t,, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. fat woh o © Figure 7. Different lode dic) Mitt rates for same softness factor| 4 @ The HEXFRED vs, Conventional Diodes in & Chopper rout ‘The 15 Amp, 600 Volt 70-220 HEXFRED, part number 'HFAISTB6O, was compared to conventional diodes from ‘wo manufacturers. ll diodes were rated at 600V and 12, to 1S amps. All were packaged in the industry standard 70.220 plastic case. ‘Two comparisons were performed. One was simply to ‘measute the devices’ dynamic performance in an IGBT chopper cicuit (Figure 10) in order to establish a baseline Table 1 reflects this data, 1500 Tyr28e | tet = (Nr) Figure 8. Typical circiMict vs ott 1600 | T 1 ve 200v Tyr 56 1000] — 4 __ Teis0a 5 | z i 1000 Figure 9. Typical direc)Miat vs. itt Ia Wear si Tt 7025 (00 HEAT SINK 1367 127430" 15 terns varooze vores Figure 19. IGBT chopper circuit ‘Table 4, Baseline Comparisons ] vesstico F sy SS 4 aE mea. ines “aa | i | ote, ian | OY (enerow] es | os | = | ms | 7 faeraa [os | wo) | 0 | wo | fares [| 220] « | mm | emo | #1 Conditions: Va = 400V L = 1004 Ip - 20 Amps R- 00

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