ICM 2003,Dec. 9-11, Cairo, Egypt.

A SPICE'Model of-aThyristor with 'High

. Injection Effects and Conductivity Modulation
Gihan T.Sayah*, Abdel Halim A. Zekry**, Hani F. Ragaie**. Fouad A. Soliman*
* Nuclear Materials Authority ** Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University
' L E-mail Gsavah@softhome.net

Absburcf-ln this work a new SCR model is developed by
applying the Gummel-Poon circuit model to the two-transistor
configuration. This model naturally takes into consideration the
high injection effects. Conductivity modulation is taken into
consideration by using nonlinear current sources. The model
parameters are defined and extracted according to a new
methodology. The simulation results are compared with the
measured results. The developed model satisfactorily describes
the performance of the thyristor under practical operating
conditions.
of large area thyristors. A distributed. topology was
introduced for large area thyristors to simulate the realistic
electrothermal spreading effect.
Most of the previous. thyristor simulation models were
baqed on the Ebers-Moll BJT model. In general, they neglect
some PNPN device properties liike conductivity modulation,
high injection effects, . breakdown and electrothermal
interaction. These properties are taken into consideration in
the present model.

1. INTRODUCTION II. MODELDFSCRIPTION

T HE computer aidcd analysis and design tools for powcr

electronic circuits are highly needed. This is because of
advancements in power devicp and the advent of the smart
To develop our model. the tihyristor is firstly represented
by.its.two-transistor model. Theri each transistor is substituted
by its Gummel-Poon circuit modlel as shown in Fig. I. This.is
"

power integrated circuits (IC s). In addition, computer aided
design tools for power electronic circuits reduce the design
time and make the design more economical. Moreover, one
can study the performance of the circuit under extreme
operating conditions. Several thyristor models have been
developed for use in circuit simulators. Avant and Lee [ I ]
proposed a SCR modeling technique based on the three
junctions SCR structure including a procedure for the
parameters estimation with some limitations [3]. Novica A.
Losic [2] developed a thyristor model using current and
voltage sources and passive circuit components. The model
can be used for either SCR or GTO devices but it is a
behavioural model of limited applicability.
Brambilla and Dallago [3] developed a numerical SCR
model based on the Ebers-Moll BJT model and a topology
represented by the three-junction devices. However, in this
model, the variation of current gain with respect to the emitter
current is assumed to be linear. This assumption results in a
the detailed SPICE model of the thyristor. The resistance of
the lightly doped n-base layer d the thyristor to the anode
cWent flow is modeled by the resistance Rnh , and it i s
inserted somewhere in a suitable point i n the circuit. While
the emitter shunt resistance is represented by Rah.
By inspecting the SPICE model in Fig. I , we notice that
in the real thyristor the collector junction is common for the
two transistors. Hence, no need !to represent this junction with
four diodes. Only two diodes arc: sufficient, say DI, and Dim.
Fig. 2 shows the reduced SPICE model of the thyristor.
I
Ii-r-1 Lp
I
1 PIw U.sodl1

r parabolic variation of the dc current-voltage (I-V) with the I

valley current at. the switching point.' Consequently, the I
coordinateS of the I-V switch point and the turn-off point can I
not be fitted simultaneously with their model. Also Ma et al. I
I L LL- -I

[4] developed a physical SCR model by employing the

lumped-charge modeling techncque to simplify t h e device
physics based on the fundamental semiconductor equations.
But the model parameters were few and didn't describe the
performance of the device completely. Tseng and Palmer [5]
develpped a GTO model for circuit simulation. This model
uses analytical expressions to describe the internal physics. A
comparison of measured and simulated waveforms was
included. But the methodology for the parameters extraction
was not mentioned.
Hung et al. [6] developed a B-Spline electrothermal
model for thyristors proposed for circuit simulations based on Fig. I SPICE niodcl of the thyriblor with cach Uunsirlor bUb~litUled
the Ebers-Moll BJT model. A distributed model was by its SPICE modcl scparately.
proposed for simulating the realistic electrothermal behaviour

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 Table.1 illustrates the values of the physical parameters
extracted from the experimental results.

Table.1 Extracted physical parameters.

.-". .

2 x 10 lcm

m U . &Cl I:f--jT
I
In
a

Y __
Rg2 The reduced SPICE model or the thystor.

HI. EXPERIMENTAL
MEASUREMENTS
Because the thyristor has three terminals only, we cannot
directly determine its SPICE parameters. So we had to niake
extensive experimental measuremeiits [7] such as, static
measurements. small signal measurements and dynamic
measurements in order to extract the physical parameters,
which are needed to extract the SPICE parameters of OUT IV. EXTRAITION OF SPICE MODEL PARAMETERS
model.
We detcrinined the SPICE parainetcrs of the thyristor by
First we measured the I-V characteristics of a commercial
using the physical parameters extracted from the
thyristor BT151 in the transistor mode and the diode mode.
experimental results. The calculations of the SPICE
From the curves we determined the Breakdown voltage V,,
parameters are based on their definition relationships [81.
the p-base doping concentration of the npn transistor NAB Table.2 illustrates the values of the extracted SPICE
and the n-base doping concentration of the pnp transistor parameters.
N,,[71. Then we measured the shall signal suue~&,
amplification factor -of thc thyristor 0 as a function of Tablc.2 Extracted SPICE parameters.
frequency at three aifferent dc opcrating points. From
selected distingdihed points on the measured frequency
response of ph Vc?obtained the n-base current amplification
factor a,,,, the phase
&:L- current amplificltion factor up , The
SPICE parameter IspblI I
Value
(nnn)
Value
(ana)

transit time of npn transistor T,, the transit time of pnp

transistor Tpand the p- base width of npn transistor WPB.
Using a programmable automatic RCL ineter we
measured the anode-gate junction capacitance and the gate-
cathode junction capacitance for the thyristor under test.
From the measured C-V curves at zero bias, we determined
the measured capacitance C,, The zero bias junction
capacitance C,,, The built-in potential Q, and the junction area
A.
Measuring the switching waveforms of thc thyristor under Basecmitar built-in potentiel I VJE I 0.86V I 0.75 V
test we obtained the fall time tf, the lifetime of the minority I
Basetollector built-in potential I
VJC I 0.75 V 0.75 V
camers tPand n-base width of pnp transistor W,,.
Finally, we measured the input impedance 2 and the
phase angle Q of the thyristor under test in the diode mode.
This measurement is only used to check the model but we did
not extract any parameter from it.

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 men, we determined the shunt resistance R& directly
from the static characteristics of the gate-cathode junction at
low bias current. Concerning the resistance of the lower
doped n-base, it will be conductivity modulated. The
conductivity modulated n-base is modeled by two parallel
condFctances Gonband G ' inserted in the anode current path
171.W e r e 6j is a nonlinear conductance and we substituted
it by a nonlinear current-controlled current source F as shown
in Fig. 3. In the SPICE notation, VI and V, represent two I
current sensors, where V1 senses TA and V2 senses Ionb. Where
IA is t!e anode current and Io& is the current in &,b. In the
- SPICE,the nonlinear controlled current source is given by [9]
Fig. 5 Simulated and measured I-V Characteristics
F =P4.fd-b for the thyristor in he diode mode at IC = 9.%4.
Where p4 is the fourth polynomial coefficient, while& arrdfb
are the controlling variables. I 2.5
I-V ClCs OfThe Thy.(meuarl:d and 8tmulstrQ
(Mndc Model

where p ",p are the mobilities of the electrons and holes and
Ihis the high injection current in the n-base. 0.5
In summary, the voltage drop on the conductivity
modulated n-base' is modeled by Gbnb in parallel with a
I
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
nonlinear current-controlled current source F. The additional VAK IV)
parameters are Gonb and p4. I A-. .-I-.

Fig. 6 Siniulutctl uiid nicssund I-V chfirlcristics for Ihc tliyrisla'

in the diode mode showing the temperatun and contact resistance
effects (Annde cumnt up to 24). 1A ni; mesured I-Vcurvc,
IA SI; simulated I-Vcurve without IempeIaNre and contact
resistance effects. IA s2: simulated I-Vcurve with temperature and
contact resistance effects

Fig. 3 Cinxit diagram of the conductivity modulna resistilnct

v. RESULTSAND DISC~SSION
Figures 4 6i&s the simulated <and measured I-V
characteristics for. the transistor mode of operation of the
thyristor for sake of comparison, Figures 5 shows the
measured and simulated I-V curves for the diode mode of
operation of the thyristor. Figure 6 shows the measured and
simulated I-V curves at high anode currents. Fig. 7 shows the Rg.7 The mcacured and simulated gain curves of the thyristor
small signal current amplification factor of the thyristor p,t, in (at 1~= 2.405 mA ).
the transistor mode as a function of frequency. Figs. 8(a) and
(b) show the simulated and measured magnitude of the Figs. 9(a) and (b) show the experimental and simulated
thyristor impedance and its phase as a function of frequency switching waveforms at the same applied signals where the
in the diode mode at IA =40 mA. switching speed is limited only by the fall time t,.

I-V clc a~tbyrl~lPr~mcluured

aodslmul#lcQ

.
... .............
__-.
... . . . . . . . . . . . .

______
0.5

.o.s 1.5 2.5 3.5

vA1(Iv) -1Am IpAl IG-ZnA
- c l A r ( ~ A ) IO-InlA

Fig. R(a) The meacurcd and simulated magnitude curves

Fig. 4 Simulated and measurcd I-V Characteristics of the impedance of the thyristor at /A ::40 mA.
for the thyistor in the mansistor mode at 1, = 2nd.
. . .

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 check the validity of these assumptions, we studied the effect
of varying IKR, and TR, on the I-V curves of the thyristor in
the diode mode at high currents (IA is up to 1OA) and on the
dynamic perfor”ce[7].

VII. SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSION
Several thyristor models have been developed for use in
circuit simulators based on the Ebers-Moll BJT model. But
.eo 1 I ;,.... i
............ these models neglect some PNPN device properties like
: ... Frcq. .z+;”zd-i
Lg
m
inl
.r
ldP h m We1 conductivity modulation, high injection effects, breakdown
PI ., and electrothermal interaction. These properties are taken into
g. Rb) The measured and simulated phese turves consideration in our model. Our model is based on the
the impcdancc of the thyristor at IA=40 d.
Gummel-Poon model circuit of the two transistors
components of the thyristor. We measured certaip static,
dynamic and small signal characteristics of the thyristor and
from these measurements, we ettiacted the physical
parameters to calculate the Gummel-Poon baraheters
from their relationship to these physical parameters.
This approach has the added advantage that a thyristor can
be designed to satisfy certain circuit requirements. To check
the validity of the developed model we simulated the thyristor
using SPICE with the extracted model parameters. We
compared the obtained results with the corresponding
measured characteristics. The developed model satisfactorily
describcs thc pcrformance of tlic thyristor undcr practical
operating conditions where the thyristor is used as a switch.

REFERENCES
I I 1 R. L. Avant and F. C. Lee, .‘
A unified SCR model for
continuous topology CADA,” IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron. ,
Vol. IE-31,NOV.1984.
[2J Novica A. Losic. ‘’ Modeling of thyristor circuits in
computer-aided analysis and design,” IEEE, Applied Power
Electron. Conference and exposition, 1988, APEC’88, pp.
2 19-225.
[31 A. Brambilla and E. Dallago. “ A circuit-level simulation
0 un,
t8ouI--------------....------------------.-~~---~-.-.------~--------------,
model of PNPN devices,” IEEE Trans. Computer-Aided
Design , Vol. 9,pp. 1254-1264,Dec. 1990.
[41 C. L. Ma, P. 0. Tuerkes. and H. J. Mattausch. “A
physicalfy-based lumped-change SCR model,” in PESC’ 93
br ** Barr lm3a m. Rec., pp. 53-59.
n U(9) [SI K.J. Tseng and P.R. Palmer, “Modeling of power
VIM
fig. 9(b) Simulzted switching waveforms of the anode
semiconductor devices for use in circuit simulations,” in
to cathode voltage Va = V{S)and the anode current I. 3 V(9)/Rm. PESC’ 94 Rw., pp. 38-43.
Input Amp.=l6Vp-p and Freq.=lOkHz. L61 C.-J. Hung , P. Roblin and S. Akhtar, Distributed B-
‘I

spline electrothermal models of thyristors proposed for circuit

From the above curves, we found satisfactory agreement simulation of power electronics,” IEEE. Trans. on Electron.
between our model and the experimental results concerning, Devices, Vol. 48,No. 2,Feb.2001.
the static I-V characteristics, the switching performance and [71 G. T. Sayah, “Modeling and simulation of large area
the small signal behaviour at relatively low frequencies. electronic devices” M.Sc Thesis. Faculty of Engineering. Ain
There are still appreciable discrepancies of the measured and Shams University ,2002.
simulated small signal behaviour at high frequcncies. This [SJ P. Antognetti, G. Massobrio, Semiconductor device
may be attributed to the simplified shunt model used in our modeling with SPICE, McGraw-Hill, book company, New
model. York, 1988.
In this work we made two assumptions. The first [91 W. Banzhaf, Computer-aided circuit analysis using
assumption was that the reverse knee current IKR, for the npn SPICE, Prentice-Hall, Inc., USA, 1989.
transistor is qual to the forward knee current Wn.The
second assumption was that the reverse transit time TR. for
the npn transistor is equal to the forward transit time TF,. To

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