188   Chapter 4    Power Transistors

The turn-on time t n is the sum of delay time t d and rise time t r:
tn = td + tr
and the turn-off time t o is the sum of storage time t s and fall time t f :
to = ts + tf

Example 4.2  Finding the Switching Loss of a Transistor

The waveforms of the transistor switch in Figure 4.31 are shown in Figure 4.35. The parameters
are VCC = 250 V, VBE1sat2 = 3 V, IB = 8 A, VCS1sat2 = 2 V, ICS = 100 A, t d = 0.5 μs, t r = 1 μs,
t s = 5 μs, t f = 3 μs, and fs = 10 kHz. The duty cycle is k = 50%. The collector-to-emitter
­leakage current is ICEO = 3 mA. Determine the power loss due to collector current (a) during
turn-on t on = t d + t r, (b) during conduction period t n, (c) during turn-off t o = t s + t f, (d) dur-
ing off-time t o, and (e) total average power losses PT. (f) Plot the instantaneous power due to
­collector current Pc 1t2.

Solution
T = 1/fs = 100 μs, k = 0.5, kT = t d + t r + t n = 50 μs, t n = 50 - 0.5 - 1 = 48.5 μs, 11 -
k2T = t s + t f + t o = 50 μs, and t o = 50 - 5 - 3 = 42 μs.

vCE
VCC

VCE(sat)
0 t
ton toff
iC ICS
0.9 ICS

ICEO
0 t
td tr tn ts tf to

iB
IBs

0 t
T  1/fs

vBE
VBE(sat)

0 t

Figure 4.35
Waveforms of transistor switch.

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 4.6  Bipolar Junction Transistors   189

a. During delay time, 0 … t … t d:

ic 1t2 = ICEO
vCE 1t2 = VCC

The instantaneous power due to the collector current is

Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = ICEO VCC

= 3 * 10-3 * 250 = 0.75 W

The average power loss during the delay time is

t

T L0 c
1 d

Pd = P 1t2dt = ICEO VCC t d fs  (4.35)

= 3 * 10-3 * 250 * 0.5 * 10-6 * 10 * 103 = 3.75 mW

During rise time, 0 … t … t r:

ICS
ic 1t2 = t
tr
t
vCE 1t2 = VCC + 1VCE1sat2 - VCC2
tr
t t
Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = ICS c VCC + 1VCE 1sat2 - VCC 2 d  (4.36)
tr tr

The power Pc 1t2 is maximum when t = t m, where

t r VCC
tm =
2[VCC - VCE 1sat2]
(4.37)
250
= 1 * = 0.504 μs
21250 - 22

and Eq. (4.36) yields the peak power

V 2CC ICS
Pp =
4[VCC - VCE1sat2]
(4.38)
2 100
= 250 * = 6300 W 
41250 - 22
tr VCE1sat2 - VCC
VCC
T L0 c
1
Pr = P 1t2dt = fs ICS t r c + d 
2 3
(4.39)
3 -6 250 2 - 250
= 10 * 10 * 100 * 1 * 10 c + d = 42.33 W
2 3
The total power loss during the turn-on is

Pon = Pd + Pr
(4.40)
= 0.00375 + 42.33 = 42.33 W

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 190   Chapter 4    Power Transistors

b. The conduction period, 0 … t … t n:

ic 1t2 = ICS
vCE 1t2 = VCE1sat2
Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = VCE1sat2 ICS
= 2 * 100 = 200 W
t

T L0 c
1 n

Pn = P 1t2dt = VCE1sat2 ICS t n fs

(4.41)
= 2 * 100 * 48.5 * 10-6 * 10 * 103 = 97 W

c. The storage period, 0 … t … t s:

ic 1t2 = ICS
vCE 1t2 = VCE1sat2
Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = VCE1sat2 ICS
= 2 * 100 = 200 W
t

T L0 c
1 s

Ps = P 1t2dt = VCE1sat2 ICS t s fs 

(4.42)
-6 3
= 2 * 100 * 5 * 10 * 10 * 10 = 10 W
The fall time, 0 … t … t f :
t
ic 1t2 = ICS a1 - b, neglecting ICEO
tf
VCC
vCE 1t2 = t, neglecting ICEO  (4.43)
tf
t t
Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = VCC ICS J ¢1 - ≤ d
tf tf

This power loss during fall time is maximum when t = t f /2 = 1.5 μs and Eq. (4.43) gives
the peak power,
VCC ICS
Pm =
4
(4.44)
100
= 250 * = 6250 W 
4
tf VCC ICS t f fs
T L0
1
Pf = Pc 1t2dt =
6
(4.45)
250 * 100 * 3 * 10-6 * 10 * 103
= = 125 W
6
The power loss during turn-off is
VCC t f
Poff = Ps + Pf = ICS fs at s VCE1sat2 + b (4.46)
6
= 10 + 125 = 135 W

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 4.6  Bipolar Junction Transistors   191

P(t) 6300 6250

6300

200

0.75
0 t
td tr tn ts tf
2
tf

Figure 4.36
Plot of instantaneous power for Example 4.2.

d. Off-period, 0 … t … t o:
ic 1t2 = ICEO
vCE 1t2 = VCC
Pc 1t2 = ic vCE = ICEO VCC 
(4.47)
= 3 * 10-3 * 250 = 0.75 W
t

T L0 c
1 o

P0 = P 1t2dt = ICEO VCC t o fs

= 3 * 10-3 * 250 * 42 * 10-6 * 10 * 103 = 0.315 W

e. The total power loss in the transistor due to collector current is

PT = Pon + Pn + Poff + P0  (4.48)
= 42.33 + 97 + 135 + 0.315 = 274.65 W
f.
The plot of the instantaneous power is shown in Figure 4.36.

Note: The switching losses during the transition from on to off and vice versa are
much more than the on-state losses. The transistor must be protected from breakdown
due to a high junction temperature.

Example 4.3  Finding the Base Drive Loss of a Transistor

For the parameters in Example 4.2, calculate the average power loss due to the base current.

Solution
VBE1sat2 = 3 V, IB = 8 A, T = 1/fs = 100 μs, k = 0.5, kT = 50 μs, t d = 0.5 μs, t r = 1 μs,
t n = 50 - 1.5 = 48.5 μs, t s = 5 μs, t f = 3 μs, t on = t d + t r = 1.5 μs, and t off = t s + t f =
5 + 3 = 8 μs.

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