4.1.3.

Voltage-bidirectional two-quadrant switches

• Usually an active switch,

controlled by terminal C
1 i • Normally operated as two-
i + on quadrant switch:
• can conduct positive on-state
v v current
C
off off
(diode (transistor • can block positive or negative
blocks voltage) blocks voltage)
– off-state voltage
0
• provided that the intended on-
state and off-state operating
points lie on the composite i-v
BJT / series instantaneous i-v characteristic, then switch can
diode realization characteristic be realized as shown
• The SCR is such a device,
without controlled turn-off
Fundamentals of Power Electronics 19 Chapter 4: Switch realization
 Two-quadrant switches

1
i switch
+ i on-state
current
v
on
–
0 v
switch
1 off off off-state
(diode (transistor voltage
i + blocks voltage) blocks voltage)

v
C

–
0

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 20 Chapter 4: Switch realization

 A dc-3øac buck-boost inverter

iL φa
+
vab(t)
–
φb
– +
Vg + vbc(t)
–
φc

Requires voltage-bidirectional two-quadrant switches.

Another example: boost-type inverter, or current-source inverter (CSI).
Fundamentals of Power Electronics 21 Chapter 4: Switch realization
 4.1.4. Four-quadrant switches

switch
on-state
current
• Usually an active switch,
controlled by terminal C
• can conduct positive or
negative on-state current
switch
off-state • can block positive or negative
voltage
off-state voltage

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 22 Chapter 4: Switch realization

 Three ways to realize a four-quadrant switch

1 1
1
i i i
1 + + +

i
+
v v v
v
– – – –
0
0 0 0

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 23 Chapter 4: Switch realization

 A 3øac-3øac matrix converter

3øac input 3øac output

ia

van(t) +
–
vbn(t)
ib
+
–

–
vcn(t) +
ic

• All voltages and currents are ac; hence, four-quadrant switches are required.
• Requires nine four-quadrant switches

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 24 Chapter 4: Switch realization

 4.1.5. Synchronous rectifiers

Replacement of diode with a backwards-connected MOSFET,

to obtain reduced conduction loss

i
1 1 1
on
i i i + (reverse conduction)
+ +
C off v
v v v
– – –
on
0 0 0

ideal switch conventional MOSFET as instantaneous i-v

diode rectifier synchronous characteristic
rectifier

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 25 Chapter 4: Switch realization

 Buck converter with synchronous rectifier

• MOSFET Q2 is
vA controlled to turn on
iA L iL(t)
+ – when diode would
Q1 normally conduct
– • Semiconductor
+ C
Vg vB conduction loss can
– C
+ be made arbitrarily
Q2 iB small, by reduction
of MOSFET on-
resistances
• Useful in low-voltage
high-current
applications

Fundamentals of Power Electronics 26 Chapter 4: Switch realization