Overview of Power Semiconductor Switches

Presently available power semiconductor switches

can be divided into three groups according to their
degree of controllability:
Diodes: ON and OFF states controlled by power circuits
Thyristors: latched on by a control signal but turned OFF
by the power circuit
Controllable switches: turned ON and OFF by control
signals

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Diodes

On and off states controlled by the power circuit

Forward biased conduction
Reverse biased small leakage current flow until
break down voltage reached
Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Thyristors

Semi-controlled device
Latches ON by a gate-current pulse
if forward biased
Turns-off if current tries to reverse

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Thyristor in a Simple Circuit

For successful turn-off, reverse voltage required

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

2-4

Generic Switch Symbol

Idealized switch symbol

When on, current can flow only in the direction of the arrow
Instantaneous switching from one state to the other
Conduct large current with zero voltage drop in on-state
Block large forward and reverse voltages with zero current flow
when off
Infinite voltage and current handling capabilities
Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)

BJT is a current-controlled device

A sufficiently large base current will turn the device ON
Base current must be supplied continuously to keep it in the ON state
Used commonly in the past
Copyright
Now used
in specific applications,
replaced by MOSFETs and IGBTs
2003
Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Switches: An Overview

2-6

Various Configurations of BJTs

dc gain is in the order of 5-10 of one BJT

To achieve larger current gain, these devices are sometimes
connected in the above configurations.
Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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MOSFETs

MOSFET is a voltage-controlled device

Easy to control by the gate continuous application of vGS
required to keep the device in the ON state
Faster switching speed (in the nanosecond range) than BJTs
Switching loss is lower compared to BJTs

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

2-8

Gate-Turn-Off Thyristors (GTO)

GTO as an ON/OFF switch

Once forward biased GTO can be turned ON by a gate pulse
GTO will stay ON
However, can be turned off by applying a negative gate-cathode
voltage

Used at very high power levels

Require elaborate gate control circuitry

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

2-9

IGBT

High impedance gate requires small

amount of energy to switch the device
Current rating: ~1700 A
Voltage rating: 2~3 kV

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Comparison of Controllable Switches

Copyright 2003
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Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Review of Basic Electrical and Magnetic

Circuit Concepts

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Sinusoidal Steady State

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Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Three-Phase Circuit

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Steady State in Power Electronics

Voltage produced by an inverter

in an ac motor drive
Often line currents drawn from
the utility by the power electronic
circuits are highly distorted as
shown in b

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by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Fourier Analysis

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Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Phasor Representation

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by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Response of L and C

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Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Inductor Voltage and Current in Steady State

In steady-state, the average

inductor voltage (over one time
period) must be zero.

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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Capacitor Voltage and Current in Steady State

In steady-state, the average

capacitor current (over one
time period) must be zero.

Copyright 2003
by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chapter 2 Power Semiconductor

Switches: An Overview

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