POWER ELECTRONICS

Module 1 POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

1.Constructional Features, Operating

Principle and Characteristics of Power Semiconductor Diode

1.1 Construction and Characteristics

I-V characteristics of a p-n junction

= (

1)

Fig 1.1
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 Introduction of drift region

Fig 1.2

Fig 1.3

Under Reverse Bias condition

Applied reverse bias voltage is supported by the depletion layer formed at p+n- junction Since NdD<< NaA, space charge region almost extends into n- drift region WD can be larger or smaller than the depletion region at breakdown voltage
Non-punch through type Punch through type

Electric field strength in reverse bias power diodes; (a) Non-punch through type; (b) punch through type

Fig 1.4(a)

Fig 1.4(b)

Reverse bias i-v characteristics of a power diode

Fig 1.5

Under Forward Bias condition

Injection of excess carriers from the p+ and n+ region Conductivity modulation Vak = Vj + VRD

Fig 1.6
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Switching Characteristics
Power diode takes finite time to turn ON and turn OFF Voltage and current during switching is different from steady state voltage and current ratings Finite voltage and current exist simultaneously during switching period can cause significant power loss at high switching frequencies

Turn ON behaviour of a Power Diode

Forward diode voltage during turn ON reaches a significantly higher value Vfr Vfr will be given as a function of in data sheet Typical values Vfr = 10 30 V tfr < 10S

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Turn OFF behaviour of a Power Diode

Diode continues to conduct in reverse direction to Irr This phenomenon is due to the minority carriers Reverse voltage across the diode reaches Vrr During the interval t5 large current and voltage exists simultaneously in the diode resulting in a increased power loss
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 Ideally diode should have no reverse recovery time Power diodes can be classified in to three based on reverse recovery characteristics
Standard / general purpose diode Fast recovery diode Schottky diode

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General purpose diode Manufactured by diffusion process Have relatively high reverse recovery time (25S) Used in low speed applications (rectifiers for low input frequency up to 1kHz and other line commutated circuits) Current rating ranges from 1 A to several kilo amperes Voltage rating ranges from 50 V to around 5 kV

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Fast recovery diode Have low recovery time (trr< 5S) Used in dc-dc and dc-ac converters Current rating ranges from less than 1 A to a few hundreds of amperes Voltage rating ranges from 50 V to around 3 kV Generally made by diffusion and recovery time is controlled by gold or platinum diffusion

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Schottky diode unlike a p-n junction diode schottky diode is a metal-semiconductor junction diode A layer of metal is deposited on a thin epitaxial layer of n type semiconductor Due to the absence of minority carriers the reverse recovery time of schottky diode is very small Voltage rating is limited to 100 V Current rating ranges from 1 to 300 A Ideal for high-current and low-voltage dc power supplies
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