Power Electronics

(I3731EP)
POWER ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Lecture Notes 2024

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 CH2 Outline
 Basics
• Semiconductor Physics
• 𝑝𝑛 Junction and Conduction Process

 Power Electronic Devices (Switches)

• Power Diodes
• Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
• Thyristors (SCR)
• Gate Turn Off Thyristors (GTO)
• Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)

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 Power Electronic
Devices (cont.)

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 Power Electronic Devices (cont.)
• Major PE Terminologies
• Semiconductor
• Electrons and Holes
• Doping
• 𝑝𝑛 Junction
• Depletion or Space Charge Region
• Biasing
• Breakdown

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 What is a semiconductor? (Ch.19)
• A group of materials that exhibit characteristics between those of
insulators and those of conductors. Semi – means Half.

• Semiconductor materials typically have four electrons in the

outermost valence ring (Silicon, Germanium, Gallium Arsenide,
diamond, etc).

• Semiconductors have:
• free-electron density of 108 < n <1019 cm-3 and,
• conductivity of 10-10 << 104 mhos-cm

• Insulators (n < 103 cm-3 ; < 10-10 mhos-cm)

• Metals (n = 1023 cm-3 ;  = 107 mhos-cm)

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 Electrons and Holes
• Silicon example

• Under natural conditions,

the atom has equal holes
and electrons.

• Thermal Ionization
and the creation of
free electrons

• Leads to recombinations.

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 Electrons and Holes (cont.)
• Recombination
-
• Time T3 > T2 > T1 A
t =T
1

• p = free electrons
• n = free holes B
generation of B

- +
A
t =T
• At T = 300 K (25°C), p = n. 2

• What can be done? recombination of B apparent

movement
• Doping -
of "Hole"

A
t =T
3

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 What is doping?
• A process of introducing impurities to semiconductor materials
makes them useful in PE.
• Elements from group III or V are added to silicon as acceptors or
donors.

Majority Carrier (p-type) Minority Carrier (n-type)

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 What is doping? (cont.)

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 History of Semiconductors
• How semiconductors evolved over time
1833 - First Semiconductor Effect was Recorded
1926 - Field Effect Semiconductor Device Concepts Patented
1940 - Discovery of the p-n Junction
1947 - Invention of the Point-Contact Transistor
1948 - Conception of the Junction Transistor
1958 -The first working integrated circuit was created by Jack Kilby
1959 - Practical Monolithic Integrated Circuit Concept Patented
1960 - Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Transistor Demonstrated
1963 - Complementary MOS Circuit Configuration is Invented
1964 - First Commercial MOS IC Introduced
1965 - "Moore's Law" Predicts the Future of Integrated Circuits
1974 - Scaling of IC Process Design Rules Quantified
http://www.evlsi.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=132

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 Moore’s Law
• The number of transistors that can be packed into a given unit of
space will double about every two years.(1965).

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 𝒑𝒏 Junction
• A 𝑝𝑛 junction is formed when n-type and p-type materials are
brought together.

metallurgical junction

P N

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 Depletion Region
• It is formed when diffusing electrons and holes leave the region near
the metallurgical junction depleted of free carriers.

metallurgical
juncti on x
ionized ionized
acceptors donors

P + N
Electric
+ + field
- opposing
diffusion
- +
Diffusing
electrons + +
Diffusing
holes
+
-
+ +

space charge
layer width = W

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 Basics of PE Devices
 Reverse and Forward Bias

Unbiased Reverse biased Forward biased

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 Break Down or Reverse Breakdown
• Caused by Impact Ionization.

• Impact Ionization is when electrons with sufficient energy strikes a

silicon atom and break a covalent bond thereby liberating an
electron from the bond.

• This cascading effect or avalanche may produce a large number of

free electrons very quickly resulting in a large reverse current.

• The power dissipated in the device increases manifold and may

cause its destruction.

• Breakdown Voltage

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 Power Diode (Ch. 20)

sumitelectronics.tradeindia.com/

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 Power Diode
• Two terminal device formed when two oppositely doped materials (n
& p) are joined together.

• Different to signal diodes because of power handling capability.

• Conducts high currents when forward biased and blocks high

voltages when reverse biased.

• How is it different?
• Structure and operational characteristics

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Symbol

Animation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqQQN5yf1Oc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyC02DWq3mI

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• I-V Characteristic

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• I-V Characteristic (cont.)
Forward Current, 𝐼𝐹 = 𝐼𝑠 𝑒 (𝑞𝑣/𝑘𝑇) − 1

• Where:
• 𝐼𝑠 - leakage/reverse saturation current (A)
• v – applied voltage (V)
• q – Charge of electron
• k – Boltzman constant
• T – Temp (Kelvin)

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Physical Structure
• N- - Drift region  Determines breakdown voltage
• Also affects the ON resistance  conduction losses

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Forward Bias Conditions (𝑽𝑫 > 𝟎)

• Space charge region shrinks, conductivity increases

• A small voltage drop due to ON resistance
• Maximum forward current can flow

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Forward Bias Conditions (cont’d)

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Reverse Bias Conditions (𝑽𝑫 < 𝟎)

• Space charge region expands. Why?

• Only a small reverse/leakage current flows until 𝑉𝐵𝐷

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Reverse Bias Conditions (cont’d)

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Switching Characteristics (Turn ON)
• Higher Forward Recovery Voltage (𝑉𝐹𝑟 )

• 𝑡0 - stabilising
• 𝑡1 - rise time
• 𝑡2 - fall time
• 𝑡𝑓𝑟 - forward recovery

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Switching Characteristics (Turn OFF)
• Peak Reverse Recovery Current (𝐼𝑟𝑟 )
• 𝑉𝑟𝑟

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Switching Characteristics (combined on-off)

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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Types of Power Diodes
• General Purpose
• For general high power applications
• Max Ratings of 6000 V, 4500 A

• Fast Recovery or High Speed Diodes

• Low recovery time (0.1-5 s)
• Suitable for high speed switching applications
• Max Ratings of 6000 V, 1100 A

• Schottkey Diodes
• Low ON resistance
• Small Recovery time
• Leakage current increases with voltage rating
• Ratings of 100 V, 300 A
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 Power Diode (cont.)
• Common Uses of Power Diodes
• Switches for rectifiers,
• Freewheeling in switching regulators,
• Voltage Isolation (blocking), etc

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 Power Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
• Description
• Three terminal, three layer, two junction, current-controlled, minority
carrier device
• Formed by adding a layer (𝑝 or 𝑛) to a 𝑝𝑛 junction

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 Power Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
• Description (cont.)

(Common
Type)

• The first semiconductor device to allow full control over its Turn on
and Turn off operations.
• Wide base, large breakdown voltage
• Slower switching speed, but lower on-resistance at high voltages in
comparison with MOSFETs.
• Current gain β decreases rapidly at high currents.
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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Equivalent Model

𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐶 + 𝐼𝐵

𝐼𝐶
𝛽𝐹 = Typically in the range of 5-10.
𝐼𝐵
Animation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukDKVHnac4&t=271s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KFFouK6-eM

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Bias Conditions

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• I-V Characteristics
• Cutoff, Active, Saturation
• Breakdowns must
be avoided.
• Quasi-saturation is
unique to power BJTs.
• BVCBO > BVCEO means
extended blocking
voltage range.
• BVCBO: breakdown voltage
with the emitter open-circuited
• BVCEO: breakdown voltage
with zero base current
• BVsus: breakdown voltage
with positive base current
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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Operating Regions
• Cutoff - both BE and CB junction must be reversed biased.
• Active – BE junction must be forward biased and CB reverse biased
• Quasi-saturation - Quasi-saturation region-Both BE and CB are
forward biased.
• This is the operating region for switching applications.
• Hard-saturation - Both junctions are forward biased.

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Turn-ON Waveforms

(turn-on delay)
(BE FB)

(ON state reached)

(cut off) (active) Q, sat

Hard, sat

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Turn-OFF Waveforms with Controlled Base Current
(-IB applied)

(hard) (quasi)

trv1

trv2

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Turn-off Waveforms with Uncontrolled Base Current
• Excessive switching losses with collector current tailing.

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• On-State Losses
V
BE,sat - V BC,sat

I
C

• 𝑉𝐵𝐸 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 − 𝑉𝐵𝐶 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 typically 0.1-0.2 V

at moderate values of collector
current.

• Rise in 𝑉𝐵𝐸 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 − 𝑉𝐵𝐶 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 at larger

• 𝑃𝑜𝑛 = 𝐼𝐶 𝑉𝐶𝐸 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 currents due to emitter current
crowding and conductivity
modulation in base.
• 𝑉𝐶𝐸 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝑉𝐵𝐸, 𝑠𝑎𝑡 − 𝑉𝐵𝐶 , 𝑠𝑎𝑡 + 𝑉𝑑 + 𝐼𝐶 (𝑅𝑐 + 𝑅𝑒)

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Safe Operating Areas
• The voltage and current conditions over which the device can be
expected to operate without self-damage.
Determining Factors
• 𝐼𝐶𝑀 - max collector current
• Thermal limit (power dissipation)
• Second Breakdown
• Breakdown Voltage

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 Power BJT (cont.)
• Safe Operating Areas (cont.)
• The voltage and current conditions over which the device can be
expected to operate without self-damage.
Pulsed
limit

DC limit

Turn ON Turn OFF

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 Thyristors (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) Ch. 23
• Outline
• SCR construction and I-V characteristics.
• Physical operation of SCRs.
• Switching behavior of SCRs
• SCR drive circuit considerations.

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Introduction
• Three Terminal, Three junction, Four Layer Device
• It is unidirectional, current controlled
• Also known as “Diode with a gate”

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Types of Thyristors
• Types (>11):
• Forced-Commutated,
• Line-Commutated,
• GTO,
• Reverse Conducting,
• Static Induction (SITH),
• Gate-Assisted Turn-off (GATT),
• Light-Activated SCR (LASCR),
• Integrated Gate Commutated (IGCT), etc

Animation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AgPUikpvpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p601Owt_1Q0&t=5s

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Construction

Side
Sectioned
View

Top Views

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• I-V Characteristics
• SCR triggerable from forward blocking state to on-state by a
gate current pulse.
• Thyristor latches on and gate cannot
turn it off.
• External circuit must force the SCR
to turn off.
• Current to several kA for V(on)
of 2-4 volts.
• Blocking voltages to 5-8 kV.

• VBO = Breakover voltage ; IBO = Breakover current.

• VH = holding voltage IH = holding current.
• Maximum junction temperature = 125-150 °C - limited by
temperature dependence of VBO.
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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Operation Modes
• Reverse Blocking Mode
• 𝐽1 and 𝐽3 are RB.
• 𝑗2 is FB.
• Forward Blocking Mode
• 𝐽1 and 𝐽3 are FB.
• 𝐽2 is RB.
• Forward Conduction Mode
• All Js are FB.

Source: Electronics Tutorials

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Two BJT Equivalent Circuit
• Collector current of the NPN transistor TR2 feeds into the base of
the PNP transistor TR1.
• Collector current of TR1 feeds into the base of TR2.

Source: Electronics Tutorials

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Turn-on Process
• In forward blocking state, both BJTs are active.

• If VAK = VBO or if positive gate current pulse is applied, SCR

switches on.

• Pulse of current with specific magnitude and duration must be

used.

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• On-state Latch-up
• Negative gate current causes lateral voltage drops as indicated which lead
to current crowding in center of cathode.
• Conventional SCRs (phase control) have large area cathodes - negative
gate current cannot remove stored charge from center of large cathode
area.
• SCR stays latched on in spite of negative gate current.
• External circuit must force anode current to negative values in order that
enough stored charge be removed from SCR so that it can turn off.

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Turn-on Behavior
• td(on) – turn-on delay; time required for charge
injection by gate current to make 𝛼1 + 𝛼2 = 1.

• tr – time required for anode current to rise and

reach on-state value. Anode current rate of
rise, diF/dt, is limited by external inductance

• tps – time required for plasma to spread over

the whole cathode area from cathode
periphery near gate.

• VAK does not attain on-state value until

complete area of cathode is conducting.

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Turn-off Behavior
• A Thyristor is turned “OFF” either by removing the supply voltage
thereby reducing the current values below 𝐼𝐻 or,

• By using external circuit to force the anode current to values below

𝐼𝐻 (minimum holding current).

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• Turn-off Behavior (cont.)
• SCR turn-off quite similar to power diode turn-off.

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 Thyristors (cont.)
• SCR Drive Circuit

Equivalent circuit of
SCR drive circuit

i (t)
G

Gate current must be on for a specified

minimum time interval (few tens of
microseconds) to guarantee SCR turn-on

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (GTO) Ch. 24
• Outline
• GTO construction and I-V characteristics.
• Physical operation of GTOs.
• Switching behavior of GTOs.

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Introduction
• GTO is a three terminal, four layer, current controlled device.

• GTO can be turned off using a negative gate signal.

• The ability to switch off the thyristor has made it a very useful
device for PE applications.

• The principal functional difference to normal thyristor is the

switch off capability.

• However, the turn-off capabilities has come with performance

compromises.
Animation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVohoQtoh4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U28WWkRwl-Y

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Unique features of the GTO.
• Highly interdigitated gate cathode structure (faster switching)
• Etched cathode islands (simplify electrical contacts)
• Anode shorts (speed up turn-off)
• GTO has no reverse blocking capability because of anode shorts

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Maximum Controllable Anode Current
• Large negative gate current creates lateral J3
voltage drops which must be kept smaller
than breakdown voltage of J3.

• If J3 breaks down, it will happen at gate-

cathode periphery and all gate current will
flow there and not sweep out any excess
carriers as required to turn-off GTO.

• Highly interdigitated gate and cathode

structure minimizes the lateral voltage
drops during turn-on and turn-off.

• Thus keep gate current less than IG,max and

so anode current restricted by:

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• GTO Step-down Converter
• GTO used in medium-to-high power applications
where electrical stresses are large and where
other solid state devices used with GTOs are slow
e.g. freewheeling diode DF.

• GTO almost always used with turn-on and turn-off

snubbers.
• Turn-on snubber to limit overcurrent from DF
reverse recovery.
• Turn-off snubber to limit rate-of-rise of
voltage to avoid retriggering the GTO into the
on-state.

• Hence should understand and describe transient

behavior of GTO in circuit with snubbers.

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Turn-on Waveforms
• GTO turn on essentially the same as for a
standard Thyristor.

• Large IGM and large rate-of-rise ensure all

cathode islands turn on together and have
good current sharing.

• Backporch current IGT needed to insure all

cathode islands stay in conduction during
entire on-time interval.

• Anode current overshoot caused by free-

wheeling diode reverse recovery current.

• Anode-cathode voltage drops precipitously

because of turn-on snubber

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Turn-off Waveforms
• ts - Time required to remove sufficient stored charge to bring BJTs
into active region and break latch condition.
• tfi interval
• 1. Anode current falls rapidly as load current commutates to
turn-off snubber capacitor
• 2. Rapid rise in anode-cathode voltage due to stray
inductance in turn-off snubber circuit
• tw2 interval
• 1. Junction J3 goes into avalanche breakdown because of
inductance in trigger circuit. Permits negative gate current
to continuing flowing and sweeping out charge from p2
layer.
• 2. Reduction in gate current with time means rate of anode
current commutation to snubber capacitor slows.
• ttail interval
• 1. Junction J3 blocking, so anode current = negative gate
current. Long tailing time required to remove remaining
stored charge.
• 2. Anode-cathode voltage growth governed by turn-off
snubber.
• 3. Most power dissipation occurs during tailing time.

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 Gate Turn-off Thyristor (cont.)
• Major operational differences to normal Thyristor

GTO Thyristor

No commutation circuit required. Turn off

is achieved by applying negative gate Commutation circuit is required.
pulse.

Fast switching speed (>10x). Slow switching speed compared to GTO.

More di/dt rating at turn on (snubbers). Less di/dt rating at turn on.

Gate current is high. Gate current is less/low.

Gate circuit losses are high. Gate circuit losses are low.

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 Power MOSFETS
• Outline
• Construction of power MOSFETs
• Physical operations of MOSFETs
• Power MOSFET switching characteristics
• Factors limiting operating specifications of MOSFETs
• Safe Operating Area (SOA)

Animation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p34w6ISouZY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stM8dgcY1CA&t=311s

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Introduction
• MOSFET – Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors.
• Three Terminal, three layer, Voltage controlled majority carrier
device.
• Has high ON-state current and high OFF-state blocking voltage
capability. (high current & voltage ratings)
• In commercial existence since 1980s.
• Main replacement of BJTs due to superior switching speeds
(10s-100s kHz). Easy to drive.
• Used mostly in applications with less than 500 volts.
• Packages:

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Types and IV Characteristics
• Depletion devices are normally ON,
• Enhancement is a normally OFF device (commonly used).
• Terminals: Gate (G), Drain (D), Source (S).

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Enhancement MOSFETs
• Gate is insulated by 𝑆𝑖𝑂2 .

• VGS controls the MOSFET

region of operation.

• VDD is the supply voltage,

whose current and voltage
need to be controlled.

• RD is the load resistance.

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Basis of Operation (Turn ON)
• When a small VGS is applied, a depletion layer is formed as holes are
repelled.
• As VGS increases, depletion layer grows, making it possible for
more current to flow.
source base

drain

2 3

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Basis of Operation (cont.)
• N-Channel Mosfet (www.shindengen.com)

𝑉𝐺𝑆 < 𝑉𝐺𝑆(𝑡ℎ) ⟹ 𝐼𝐷 = 0 𝑉𝐺𝑆 > 𝑉𝐺𝑆(𝑡ℎ) ⟹ 𝐼𝐷 > 0

Unbiased: N→P→N Biased: N→N→N

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Construction Features (cont.)
• Parasitic 𝑛𝑝𝑛 BJT. Held in cutoff by body-source short.
• Integral anti-parallel diode. Formed from parasitic BJT.

• Division of source into many small areas connected electrically

in parallel. Maximizes gate width-to-channel length ratio in order
to increase gain.
• Lightly doped drain drift region. Determines blocking voltage
rating.
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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Construction Features (cont.)

Trench-gate MOSFET
• Newest geometry.
• Lowest on-state
resistance.

V-Groove MOSFET.
• First practical power
MOSFET.
• Higher on-state
resistance.
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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• I-V Characteristics
• Voltage-controlled device.
• Three regions of operation; Cutoff, Active and Ohmic.
• Threshold voltage, 𝑉𝐺𝑆(𝑡ℎ) , usually 10-20V.
• Avalanche breakdown when Vapplied>Vrated.

Cutoff ( )

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Transfer Characteristics
• Current only start to flow after VGS(th),
• The higher the VGS, the more the drain current.
𝑖𝐷

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Circuit Models
Equivalent circuit for
on-state region operation.

Equivalent circuit for off-state (cutoff)

and active region operation
D

C
gd

G I = f(V )
D GS
C
gs

Stray capacitances

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Circuit Models (cont.)
• Stray capacitances affect switching speed. Must be considered
during circuit designs.
• Cgs is approximately constant and independent of applied
voltages.
• Cgd varies with applied voltage. Variation due to growth of
depletion layer thickness until inversion layer is formed.
C
gd
C
gd2
ideali zation

actual
C
gd1

v
v = v 200 V DS
GS DS

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Switching Characteristics: Turn-on

2
3

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Turn-on (cont.)
• Faster switching speeds than BJT, why?
• No minority carriers to be removed or injected during switching.

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Turn-on (non-ideal diode)

3
1. Diode current
2. Drain current
3. Gate voltage
4 4. VDS
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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Turn-off
• VGS goes to zero.
• Assume ideal free-wheeling
diode.
• Essentially the inverse of the
turn-on process.
• Power losses calculation.
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝐷𝑆 𝑡𝑟𝑖 𝑓𝑠
𝑃𝑡𝑟,𝑜𝑛 =
2
2
𝑃𝑜𝑛 = 𝐼max 𝑅𝐷𝑆(𝑜𝑛) 𝐷

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝐷𝑆 𝑡𝑓 𝑓𝑠
𝑃𝑡𝑟,𝑜𝑓𝑓 =
2

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Operating and Practical Limitations
• BVDSS = maximum permissible drain-source voltage, at VGS = 0.

• VGS(max) = maximum permissible gate-source voltage.

• If VGS >VGS(max) rupture of gate oxide by large electric fields

possible.

• Static charge on gate conductor can rupture gate oxide.

• Handle MOSFETs with care (ground your self before
handling device).
• Place anti- parallel connected Zener diodes between gate
and source as a protective measure.

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• On-state Losses
• On-state power dissipation, 𝑃𝑜𝑛 = (𝐼𝑜𝑢𝑡 ) 2 𝑅𝐷𝑆(𝑜𝑛) .
• MOSFET has a positive temperature coefficient.
• 𝑅𝐷𝑆(𝑜𝑛) increases as temperature increases due to decrease in
carrier mobility with increasing temperature.

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Paralleling of MOSFETs
• MOSFETs can be easily paralleled because of positive
temperature coefficient of RDS(on).
• Positive temperature coefficient leads to thermal stabilization
effect.
• Total RDS(on) also reduces due to paralleling.

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 Power MOSFETS (cont.)
• Safe Operating Area
• No distinction between FBSOA and RBSOA. SOA is square.

• FB = forward bias. VGS > 0.

• RB = reverse bias. VGS  0.
• No second breakdown.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Outline
• Construction and I-V characteristics
• Physical operation
• Switching characteristics
• Limitations and safe operating area

• Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IkabyXHy8g

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Introduction
• Three terminal, three junction, four layer, minority carrier, voltage
controlled device.
• Lower on-state resistance compared to MOSFETs.
• Longer switching times (slower), especially turn-off.
• Usually used in applications with higher blocking voltage
requirements, greater than 500 V.
• IGBT bears properties of both the BJTs and MOSFETs.
• BJTs have lower conduction losses in the on state and large
blocking voltages but slower.
• MOSFETs are faster, but their on-state conduction losses are
higher.
• Suitable for both AC and DC applications.
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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Introduction (cont.)
• Three terminal, three junction, four layer, minority carrier, voltage
controlled device
• IGBT has become the device of choice in most new applications.

(emitter)

(collector)

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Cross-section of IGBT Cell
• Cell structure similar to power MOSFET (VDMOS) cell.
• P-region at collector end, unique feature of IGBT compared to
MOSFET.
• Punch-through (PT) IGBT - N+ buffer layer present.
• Non-punch-through (NPT) IGBT - N+ buffer layer absent.

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 PE Devices
 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Structure and Circuit Symbols of IGBT

collector

gate

emitte r

drain
gate gate
emitter

gate

source

collector

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Turn ON Operation
• When the positive gate-source voltage exceeds the threshold, an
inversion layer forms beneath the gate.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Turn ON Operation (cont.)
• A positive gate voltage injects holes into the drift region.
• MOSFET characteristics at turn on and off.
• BJT characteristics during conduction.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• I-V and Transfer Characteristics
• Fairly similar to the characteristics of the MOSFET.
• The transfer curve is reasonably linear over most of the drain current
range
• The higher the gate voltage, the more drain current that can flow.

• Transfer curve

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 PE Devices
 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• I-V and Transfer Characteristics (cont.)
• Three modes of operation (Cut-off, Active, Saturation)

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 PE Devices
 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• I-V and Transfer Characteristics (cont.)
• The higher the gate voltage, the more drain current that can flow.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Blocking (Off) State Operation
• Blocking state operation - VGE < VGE(th) • With N+ buffer layer, junction J1 has
small breakdown voltage and thus IGBT
• Junction J2 is blocking junction - n+ drift has little reverse blocking capability -
region holds depletion layer of blocking anti-symmetric IGBT.
junction.
• Buffer layer speeds up device turn-off.
• Without N+ buffer layer, IGBT has large
reverse blocking capability - so-called
symmetric IGBT.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Static Latchup
• Lateral voltage drops, if too
large, will forward bias junction
J 3.
• Parasitic 𝑛𝑝𝑛 BJT will be
turned on, thus completing turn-
on of parasitic thyristor.
• Large power dissipation in
latchup will destroy IGBT
unless terminated quickly.
• External circuit must terminate
latchup - no gate control in
latchup.
• Avoid exceeding IDM, to prevent
latchup.
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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Turn-on Waveforms
• Turn-on waveforms for IGBT
embedded in a stepdown converter.

• Very similar to turn-on waveforms of

MOSFETs.

• Contributions to 𝑡𝑣𝑓2.

• Increase in Cge of MOSFET

section at low collector-emitter
voltages.

• Slower turn-on of 𝑝𝑛𝑝 BJT

section.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Turn-off Waveforms
• Turn-off waveforms for IGBT embedded
in a stepdown converter.

• Current “tailing” (𝑡𝑓𝑖2) due to stored charge

trapped in drift region (base of pnp BJT)
by rapid turn-off of MOSFET section.

• Shorten 𝑡𝑓𝑖2 by either reducing carrier

lifetime or by putting N+ buffer layer
adjacent to injecting P+ layer at drain.

• Buffer layer acts as a sink for excess

holes otherwise trapped in drift region
because lifetime in buffer layer can be
made small without effecting on-state
losses - buffer layer thin compared to drift
region.

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Turn-on & Turn-off Waveforms

2 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝐶𝐸 𝑡𝑓 𝑓𝑠
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑉𝐶𝐸 𝑡𝑟𝑖 𝑓𝑠 𝑃𝑜𝑛 = 𝐼max 𝑅𝐶𝐸(𝑜𝑛) 𝐷 𝑃𝑡𝑟,𝑜𝑓𝑓 =
𝑃𝑡𝑟,𝑜𝑛 = 2
2

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 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (cont.)
• Safe Operating Area
• Maximum collector-emitter voltages set by
breakdown voltage of 𝑝𝑛𝑝 transistor - 2500
V devices available.

• Maximum collector current set by latchup

considerations - 100 A devices can
conduct 1000 A for 10 µsec and still turn-
off via gate control.

• Maximum junction temp. = 150 ºC.

• Manufacturer specifies a maximum rate of

increase of re-applied collector-emitter
voltage in order to avoid latchup.

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Chapter Conclusions

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_semiconductor_device

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Chapter 2 Summary
 Basics
• Semiconductor Physics
• 𝑝𝑛 Junction and Conduction Process

 Power Electronic Devices

• Power Diodes
• Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
• Thyristors
• Gate Turn Off Thyristors (GTO)
• Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)

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