Power Electronics

Lecture(8)

Prof. Mohammed Zeki Khedher

Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Jordan

Thyristors

Most important type of power

semiconductor device.
Have the highest power handling
capability.they have a rating of
5000V / 6000A with switching
frequencies ranging from 1KHz to
20KHz.
2

Is inherently a slow switching device

compared to BJT or MOSFET.
Used as a latching switch that can be
turned on by the control terminal but
cannot be turned off by the gate.

SCR

Symbol of
Silicon Controlled Rectifier

Structure
C a th o d e

G a te

n
J3

10

19

cm

-3

n
-

10

17

cm

-3

J2
n
J1

p
p

10
10
10

13

17
19

-5 x 1 0
cm
cm

14

cm

-3

10

19

cm

-3

-3
-3

1 0 m
3 0 -1 00 m
5 0 -1 0 0 0 m
3 0 -5 0 m

Anode
5

Device Operation

Simplified model of a
thyristor

Two Transistor Model of SCR

The general transistor equations are,

I C I B 1 I CBO
I C I E I CBO
I E IC I B

I B I E 1 I CBO
9

Considering PNP transistor

of the equivalent circuit,
I E 1 I A , I C I C1 , 1 ,
I CBO I CBO1 , I B I B1

I B1 I A 1 1 I CBO1 1
10

Considering NPN transistor

of the equivalent circuit,
I C I C2 , I B I B2 , I E2 I K I A I G
I C2 2 I k I CBO2
I C2 2 I A I G I CBO2 2
11

From the equivalent circuit,

we see that
I C2 I B1

2 I g I CBO1 I CBO 2
IA
1 1 2
12

Case 1: When I g 0
IA

I CBO1 I CBO2

1 1 2

Case 2: When I G 0

2 I g I CBO1 I CBO 2
IA
1 1 2
13

V-I
Characteristic
s
14

Effects of gate current

15

Turn-on
Characteristi
cs

ton td tr
16

A K

tC

tq

t
IA
A n o d e c u rre n t
b e g in s t o
d e cre a se

di
dt

C o m m u t a t io n
R ecovery
t1

t2

R e c o m b in a tio n
t3

t4

t5
t

tq=

d e v ic e o f f t im e

tc=

c ir c u it o f f t im e

tgr

trr
tq

tc

Turn-off
Characteris
17

ij 2

dq2 d

C j Vj
2
2
dt
dt
C j2 dV j
dC
j2
2

V j2
dt
dt

dv/dt
Triggering
18

dq2 d
ij 2

C j Vj
2
2
dt
dt
C j2 dV j2
dC j2

V j2
dt
dt

19

Switching Characteristics (linearized)

Switching Power Loss is

proportional to:
switching frequency
turn-on and turn-off
times

Methods of Thyristor Turn-on

Thermal Turn-on.
Light.
High Voltage.
Gate Current.
dv/dt.

21

Thyristor Ratings
First
Subscript

Second
Subscript

D off state

W working

T ON state

R
Repetitive
S Surge or
non-repetitive

F Forward
R Reverse

Third
Subscript
M Peak
Value

22

Voltage Ratings

VDWM

VDRM

VDSM

VRWM

VRRM

VRSM

VT

dv
dt
23

Current Ratings

ITaverage

ITRMS

IH

di
dt

IL

24

Gate Specification

I gt

Vgt

VgD

QRR

Rthjc
25

Diodes

Diode Product Range

Phase Control Thyristors

Fast switching Thyristors

Thyristor Types

Phase-control Thyristors (SCRs).

Fast-switching Thyristors (SCRs).
Gate-turn-off Thyristors (GTOs).
Bidirectional triode Thyristors
(TRIACs).
Reverse-conducting Thyristors
(RCTs).
29

Static induction Thyristors (SITHs).

Light-activated silicon-controlled
rectifiers (LASCRs).
FET controlled Thyristors (FET-CTHs).
MOS controlled Thyristors (MCTs).

30

PHASE-CONTROL THYRISTORS : primarily for rectifying

line frequency voltage and currents (phase controlled
AC and DC motor drivers and high voltage power
transmission). Average current 4000A, blocking
voltage 5-7kV and on-state voltage 1.5-3V

INVERTER-GRADE THYRISTORS: small turn-off times

(from a few s to100s depends on their blocking
voltage and on-state voltage drops), and small onstate voltage,
2500V-1500A.

LIGHT-ACTIVATED THYRISTORS: triggered by a pulse of

light guided by optical fibers to a sensitive region,
used primarily in high voltage application such as high
voltage power transmission 4kV-3kA

Devices

SITH = Static Induction Thyristor

GTO = Gate Turn Off Thyristor
MOS = Metal Oxide Semiconductor
MCT = MOS Controlled Thyristor
MTO = MOS Turn Off Thyristor
ETO = Emitter Turn Off Thyristor
IGCT = Insulated Gate Controlled Thyristor
TRIAC = Triode Thyristor
LASCR = Light Activated SCR

Devices..

NPN BJT = NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor

IGBT = Insulated Gate Bipolar Junction
Transistor
N-Channel MOSFET = N-Channel Metal
Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistor
SIT = Static Induction Transistor
RCT = Reverse Conducting Thyristor
GATT = Gate Assisted Turn Off Thyristor

Power Semiconductor
Devices, their Symbols &
Characteristics

34

DEVICE SYMBOLS &

CHARACTERISTICS

35
Prof. M. Madhusudhan Rao, E&C Dept., MSRIT

36

37

Phase Control
Thyristor

These are converter thyristors.

The turn-off time tq is in the order of
50 to 100sec.
Used for low switching frequency.
Commutation is natural commutation
On state voltage drop is 1.15V for a
600V device.
38

They use amplifying gate thyristor.

39

Fast Switching
Thyristors

Also called inverter thyristors.

Used for high speed switching
applications.
Turn-off time tq in the range of 5 to
50sec.
On-state voltage drop of typically 1.7V
for 2200A, 1800V thyristor.
High dv/dt and high di/dt rating.
40

Bidirectional Triode
Thyristors (TRIAC)

41

Triac Characteristics

42

Gate Turn-off Thyristors

Turned on by applying positive gate signal.

Turned off by applying negative gate
signal.
On state voltage is 3.4V for 550A, 1200V
GTO.
Controllable peak on-state current ITGQ is
the peak value of on-state current which
can be turned-off by gate control.
43

Gate-Turn-Off Thyristors (GTO)

Slow switching speeds

Used at very high power levels

Require elaborate gate control circuitry

GTO Turn-Off

Need a turn-off snubber

Advantages over SCRs

Elimination of commutating
components.
Reduction in acoustic &
electromagnetic noise due to
elimination of chokes.
Faster turn-off, therefore can be used
for higher switching frequencies.
Improved efficiency of converters.
46

Advantages over BJTs

Higher voltage blocking capabilities.

High on-state gain.
High ratio of peak surge current to
average current.
A pulsed gate signal of short duration
only is required.
47

Disadvantages of GTOs

On-state voltage drop is more.

Due to multi cathode structure
higher gate current is required.
Gate drive circuit losses are more.
Reverse blocking capability is less
than its forward blocking capability.
48

Reverse Conducting
Thyristors

49

Anti-parallel diode connected across

SCR on the same silicon chip.
This diode clamps the reverse
blocking voltage to 1 or 2V.
RCT also called Asymmetrical
Thyristor (ASCR).
Limited applications.
50

Static Induction Thyristors

Turned-on by applying positive gate

voltage.
Turned-off by applying negative gate
voltage.
Minority carrier device.
Low on-state resistance & low voltage drop.
Fast switching speeds & high dv/dt & high
di/dt capabilities.
51

Switching time in order of 1 to 6

sec.
The rating can go upto 2500V / 500A.
Process sensitive.

52

Light-Activated Silicon
Controlled Rectifiers

Turned-on by direct light radiation on

silicon wafer.
Gate structure is sensitive for
triggering from practical light sources.
Used in high voltage and high current
applications. Example: HVDC
transmission, Static reactive power
compensation.
53

Offers complete electrical isolation

between light triggering source &
power circuit.
Rating could be has high as 4KV /
1500A.
di/dt rating is 250A / sec.
dv/dt rating is 2000V / sec.
54

Photo-SCR coupled isolator

Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)

Used commonly in the past

Now used in specific applications
Replaced by MOSFETs and IGBTs

FET Controlled
Thyristors

Combines a
MOSFET & a
thyristor in
parallel as
shown.
High switching
speeds & high
di/dt & dv/dt.

58

Turned on like conventional

thyristors.
Cannot be turned off by gate control.
Application of these are where
optical firing is to be used.

59

MOS-Controlled
Thyristor

New device that has become

commercially available.
Basically a thyristor with two
MOSFETs built in the gate structure.
One MOSFET for turning ON the MCT
and the other to turn OFF the MCT.

60

MCT

Features

Low on-state losses & large current

capabilities.
Low switching losses.
High switching speeds achieved due
to fast turn-on & turn-off.
Low reverse blocking capability.
64

Gate controlled possible if current is

less than peak controllable current.
Gate pulse width not critical for
smaller device currents.
Gate pulse width critical for turn-off
for larger currents.

65

MOSFET

66
Prof. M. Madhusudhan Rao, E&C Dept., MSRIT

MOSFETs

Easy to control by the gate

Optimal for low-voltage operation at high switching frequ
On-state resistance a concern at higher voltage ratings

IGBT

IGBT

77
Prof. M. Madhusudhan Rao, E&C Dept., MSRIT

Advantages of IGBT

Combines the advantages of BJT & MOSFET

High input impedance like MOSFET
Voltage controlled device like MOSFET
Simple gate drive, Lower switching loss
Low on state conduction power loss like BJT
Higher current capability & higher switching
speed than a BJT. ( Switching speed lower
than MOSFET)
78
Prof. M. Madhusudhan Rao, E&C Dept., MSRIT

Applications of IGBT

ac and dc motor controls.

General purpose inverters.
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).
Welding Equipments.
Numerical control, Cutting tools.
Robotics & Induction heating.
79
Prof. M. Madhusudhan Rao, E&C Dept., MSRIT

MCT

Comparison of Controllable Switches

Summary of Device Capabilities