Power Diodes

Learning Objectives
1. Characteristics and operation of diodes
2. Switching Characteristics
3. Diode protection
4. Snubber circuits
5. Series and parallel of connection of diodes
6. Skottky diodes
 Power Diodes
• The characteristic of Power diode
1. Ability to withstand a large reverse voltage
2. Carry large on state current
3. Fast switching characteristic
 Basic Structure of Power Semiconductor
Diodes
Anode
i
10
P+ 19 -3 microns
N = 10 cm
A
breakdown
v 14 -3 voltage
N- epi N = 10 cm
D dependent

19 -3
N+ substrate N = 10 cm 250
D
microns

Cathode
 Diode Switching Waveforms in Power
Circuits
Q rr = I t / 2
rr rr

di / dt d i / dt
F I F R 0 .2 5 I
rr

I
rr

diF diR
t
3
t
4
t
5
• dt and dt determined
by external circuit.
V on t
V rr
FP

• Inductances or power
t
semiconductor devices.
V
t V R
2 rr
t
t 5
1 S =
t
4
 Factors Effecting Reverse Recovery
Time
• If stored charge removed mostly
diR diR t rr
• Irr = t = ; Defined on by sweep-out Qrr ≈ QF ≈ IF τ
dt 4 dt (S + 1)
swit ching waveform diagram
• Using this in eqs. for Irr and trr
and assuming S + 1 = 1 gives
Irr t rr diR t rr2
• Qrr = = ; Defined 2 IF τ
2 dt 2(S + 1) trr =
on waveform diagram diR and
dt

• Invert ing Qrr equat ion t o solve for t rr yields diR

Irr = 2 IF τ dt
diR
2Qrr(S+1) 2Qrr
dt
t rr = and Irr =
diR (S + 1)
dt
Power Diodes- Snubber Circuits
Power Diodes- Snubber Circuits
Power Diodes- Series Operation
Power Diodes- Parallel Operation
 Schottky
Diodes
Charact erist ics anode
aluminum
SiO2 contact -
• V(on) = 0.3 - 0.5 volt s. rectifying

P P
• Breakdown volt ages
Š 100-200 volt s.
guard
ring

• Majorit y carrier device - no depletion layer depletion layer

st ored charge. boundary with N boundary
guard rings without guard
rings
• Fast swit ching because of lack
of st ored charge.

N+

aluminum
cathode
contact -
ohmic
 Physics of Schottky Diode
Operation

• Elect rons diffuse from Si t o Al

because elect rons have larger + V -
i(t)
average energy in silicon
Aluminum n-type Si
compared t o aluminum.
Electron Energy
• Deplet ion layer and t hus pot ent ial
barrier set up. Gives rise t o
E
rect ifying cont act . Si
E
Al
• No hole inject ion int o silicon. No
source of holes in aluminum. Thus
- +
diode is a majorit y carrier device. Al - + N-Si
+
• Reverse sat urat ion current much Depletion layer
Diffusing
larger t han in pn junct ion diode.
electrons
This leads t o smaller V(on) (0.3 -
0.5 volt s)
 Schottky Diode Switching
•
Waveforms
Schot t ky diodes swit ch much
fast er t han pn junct ion diodes. No Current
minorit y carrier st orage.
I
F
• Foreward volt age overshoot VFP
much smaller in Schot t ky diodes. t

Drift region ohmic resist ance RΩ. V

FP

• Reverse recovery t ime t rr much

V(on)
smaller in Schot t ky diodes. No
minorit y carrier st orage. t
voltage
• Reverse recovery current Irr
comparable t o pn junct ion diodes. C(Schottky) - 5 C(PN)
space charge capacit ance in
Schot t ky diode larger t han in pn
R (Sch.) << R Ω(pn)
junct ion diode becasue of Ω
narrower deplet ion layer widt hs
result ing from heavier dopings.
 Power Diodes
Summary
1. Low on state losses require long carrier lifetimes in the diode
drift region
2. During Turn on transient the forward voltage in a diode may
have a substantial overshoot, on the order of tens of volts
3. Short turn off times require short carrier life times, so trade
off between switching times and on-state losses must be
made
4. During turn off, fast reverse recovery may lead to large
voltage spikes because of stray inductance
5. Schottky diodes turn on and off faster than pn junction
diodes and have no substantial reverse recovery transient
6. Schottky diodes have lower on state losses than pn junction
diodes but also have low breakdown voltage ratings