INTRODUCTION TO SWITCHES

POWER SWITCHING DIODE

As shown in the figure, there is heavily doped

n+ substrate with doping level of 1019/cm3. This
substrate forms a cathode of the power diode.
On n+ substrate, lightly doped n- epitaxial
layer is grown. This layer is also known as drift
region. The doping level of n- layer is about
1014/cm3.
The the PN junction is formed by diffusing a
heavily doped p+ region. This p+ region forms
anode of the diode. The doping level of p+
region is about 1019/cm3.
The thickness of p+ region is 10m. The
thickness of n+ substrate is 250m.
The thickness of n- drift region depends upon
the breakdown voltage of the diode.
The drift region determines the reverse
breakdown voltage of the diode.
Its function is to absorb the depletion layer of
the reverse biased p+n-junction.
As it is lightly doped, it will add significant
ohmic resistance to the diode when it is forward
biased.
For higher breakdown voltages, the drift region
is wide.
The n- drift region is absent in low power signal
diodes.

The most important feature of a high frequency rectifier is the reverse

recovery characteristic. This affects S.M.P.S. performance in several ways.
These include
Increased diode switching loss,
higher peak turn-on current and dissipation in the power transistors
Increased generation of electro-magnetic interference (e.m.i.) and voltage
transient oscillations in the outputs.
Clearly, the rectifier must have optimum reverse recovery characteristics to
keep this catalogue of effects to a minimum.

Factors influencing reverse recovery

In practice, the three major parameters trr, Qs and
Irrm are all dependent upon the operating condition
of the rectifier. This is summarised as follows: Increasing the forward current, IF, increases trr, Qs and Irrm.

Increasing the dIF/dt rate by using a faster transistor and reducing

stray inductance, significantly decreases trr, but increases Qs and Irrm.
High dIF/dt rates occur in the high frequency square wave switching
found in S.M.P.S. applications. (MOSFETs can produce very small fall
times, resulting in very fast dIF/dt).
Increasing diode junction temperature, Tj increases all three.
Reducing the reverse voltage across the diode, Vr , also slightly increases
all three.

The Power MOSFET has a vertically oriented four layer structure of

alternating P and N type(n+pn-n+) layers.
The P type middle layer is called as body of MOSFET. In this region , the
channel is formed between source and drain.
The n- layer is called as drift region,which determines the breakdown
voltage of the device. This n- region is present only in Power MOSFETs not in
signal level MOSFET.
The gate terminal is isolated from body by silicon dioxide layer.
When the positive gate voltage is applied with respect to source, the n-type
channel is formed between source to drain.
As shown in the figure, there is a parasitic npn BJT between source and
drain.
To avoid this BJT turns on, the p-type body region is shorted to source region
by overlapping the source metallization on to the p type body.
The result is a parasitic diode which is formed between drain to source terminals. This
integral diode plays an important role in half and full bridge converter circuits

Some of the facts about Power MOSFET is given below;

1.Power MOSFET has three terminals called Drain,
Source and Gate.
2.It is a voltage controlled device.
3.It is a unipolar device so its operation depends upon
the flow of majority carriers only.
4.The gate circuit impedance very high.
5.So the control signal(gate voltage) required to turn
on the MOSFET is lesser than required control signal
for the BJT.
6.There is no second breakdown problem in this device.
7.MOSFET has positive temperature coefficient, so
thermal runaway problem will not happen.

Summary of Comparison between BJT and MOSFET:

Sl No
1
2

BJT
It is a Bipolar Device
Current control Device

MOSFET
It is majority carrier Device
Voltage control Device.

Output is controlled by
controlling base current

Output is controlled by
controlling gate voltage

Negative temperature coefficient Positive temperature coefficient

So paralleling of BJT is
difficult.

So paralleling of this device is

easy.

Dive circuit is complex. It

should provide constant
current(Base current)

Dive circuit is simple. It should

provide constant voltage(gate
voltage)

Losses are low.

So used in high power
applications.

Losses are higher than BJTs.

BJTs have high voltage and

current ratings.

They have less voltage and

current ratings.

10

Switching frequency is lower

than MOSFET.

Switching frequency is high.

7
8

Used in low power applications.

To select aMOSFET for a particular application,

following parameters have to be considered
fromthe device datasheet
Maximum Drain to Source voltage (VDSS)
On-state drain to source resistance RDS(ON)
Drain Current ID
Gate to source Voltage VGS
Reverse recovery time Trr
Gate charge QG
Power Dissipation PD