Power transistor

• Power Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is the first

semiconductor device to allow full control over its Turn on
and Turn off operations.
• It simplified the design of a large number of Power
Electronic circuits that used forced commutated thyristors at
that time and also helped realize a number of new circuits.
 Constructional Features of a Power BJT

• In order to maintain a large current gain “β” (and hence

reduce base drive current) the emitter doping density is made
several orders of magnitude higher than the base region. The
thickness of the base region is also made as small as possible.

• In order to block large voltage during “OFF” state a lightly

doped “collector drift region” is introduced between the
moderately doped base region and the heavily doped
collector region. The function of this drift region is similar
to that in a Power Diode.
Constructional Features of a Power BJT
Power BJT
Output i-v characteristics of a signal Transistor
Operation
Quasi saturation region
Hard saturation region
Difference between ideal and practical switch