EEE 483: Power Electronics

Dr. Mohammad Rubaiyat Tanvir Hossain

Professor, Department of EEE, CUET

Switches are categorized into Three Types -

Uncontrolled: Switch ON or OFF depends on the circuit

operating conditions. Ex. Diode.

Semi-controlled: This type of switches can be turned on

by supplying some current to the gate or to the control
terminal. But their turn OFF depends upon the circuit
condition. Ex. SCR

of switches can be turned ON

or OFF using the control terminal. Say BJT, MOSFET, IGBT.
Three terminal device
Anode (A), Cathode (K), and Gate (G)
A & K  Power Circuit terminals
N2 Layer Very thin & highly doped
P2 Layer Thicker & less highly doped
N1 Layer (Blocking layer) Thickest & less doped
P1 Layer Similar to P2
 Vin
100
0
-100

Vg

0.8
0.4
0

Vo

80
40
0

I2
1

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04
Time (s)
 Vin
108
104
100
96
92

Vg
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

Io

0.8
0.4
0

0.0004 0.0006 0.0008 0.001 0.0012 0.0014

Time (s)
Voltage protection
Current protection
 TRIode for Alternating Current
 A TRIAC is a 3-terminal AC
semiconductor switch.
 Composed of 2 thyristors
facing opposite directions
such that it can conduct
current in either direction.
 MT1 and MT2 are current
carrying terminals while
the Gate terminal is used
for triggering by applying a
small voltage signal.
 Once triggered, it
continues to conduct
current until the current
falls below a threshold
value.
 When MT2 and Gate being positive with respect to MT1:
Here J1 and J3 are forward biased but J2 is reverse biased. Free electrons are
injected from N2 to P2, recombine with holes and leads the J2 junction to
breakdown. When this happens, current flows from MT2 to MT1 through the
path P1-N1-P2-N2.
 When MT2 is Positive but Gate is Negative with respect to
MT1:
Here J1 and J3 are forward biased but J2 is reverse biased. Free electrons are
injected from N3 to P2, recombine with holes and leads the J2 junction to
breakdown. When this happens, current flows from MT2 to MT1 through the
path P1-N1-P2-N2.
 When MT2 is Negative but Gate is Positive with respect to
MT1:
Here J2 is forward biased but J1 is reverse biased. Free electrons are injected
from N4 to P1, recombine with holes and leads the J1 junction to breakdown.
When this happens, current flows from MT1 to MT2 through the path P2-N1-
P1-N4.
 When MT2 and Gate are Negative with respect to MT1:
Here J2 is forward biased but J1 is reverse biased. Free electrons are injected
from N4 to P1, recombine with holes and leads the J1 junction to breakdown.
When this happens, current flows from MT1 to MT2 through the path P2-N1-
P1-N4.
High Power TRIACS
 Switching for AC circuits, allowing the control of
very large power flows with mille-ampere scale
control currents

Low Power TRIACS

 Light bulb dimmers
 Motor speed controls for electric fans and other
AC motors, and heaters
 Modern computerized control circuits in
household appliances
 Real World Triacs

 Come in various
shapes and sizes
 Essentially all the
same operationally
 Different mounting
schemes
 Iode for Alternating Current
A DIAC is an important member of the
thyristor family.

A DIAC is a two-electrode bidirectional

avalanche diode which can be
switched from off-state to the on-state for
either polarity of the applied voltage.

It is equivalent to two diodes connected

in anti-parallel.

Symmetrical I-V characteristics.

Turn-ON voltage is about 30V.

There are two DIAC structures. They are: ac trigger
diode and bidirectional PNPN diode.

AC Trigger Diode:

•Three alternately doped layer
•The doping concentration around both junctions
are equal

MT1 MT2

AC Trigger Diode
Construction of a Diac
Bidirectional P-N-P-N Diode:
It is a four-layer, two-terminal semiconductor
device.

MT2 and MT1 are the two main terminals of

the device.

This is just like a TRIAC without gate terminal.

The doping level at the two end P-layers is the

same.

When MT1 is positive current flow path is P2-N2-P1-N1

Bidirectional
For positive polarity of MT2,current flow path is P1-N2-P2- PNPN Diode
N3
Characteristics of a DIAC
When applied voltage in either
polarity is small (less than
breakover voltage) leakage current
flows through the device
However, when the magnitude of
the applied voltage exceeds the
avalanche breakdown voltage,
breakdown takes place and the
DIAC current rises sharply
Once the DIAC goes into conduction, the DIAC maintains an
almost continuous negative resistance characteristic.

It remains "in conduction" until the current through it drops below
the holding current, IH.

Most DIACs have break over voltage around 30 V

Operation of a Diac
DIAC Applications

The DIACs are used

as triggering devices
in TRIAC phase
control circuits,
employed for:
 Lamp dimmer
 Heat control
Universal motor
speed control etc.
 DIAC Phase Control Circuit
The diac is transistor-type structure with a
bidirectional negative resistance
characteristic which is well suited as
trigger device to triac control. Diac
breakdown current is typically around
100uA and occurs at approximately 30 V.

A diac phase control circuit is shown in Fig.

2. On either alternation, the capacitor will
begin charging through the variable
resistor. when the capacitor voltage
reaches the breakdown potential, the diac Diac Schematic symbol and
fires and gates the triac on. Characteristics Curve

The phase angle can be advanced by

decreasing the variable reistor. This
shorten the time constant, and the triac
gates sooner for a larger conduction angle
and greater load power. Increasing the
variable resistor will delay firing for a
smaller conduction angle and lower load
power. Diac Phase Control Circuit
UJT or Uni Junction Transistor

 An UJT is made up of n-type

silicon base to which p-type
emitter is embedded.
 The n-type base is lightly
doped, while the p-type is
heavily doped.
 The base is divided into two
parts:
1. base-one B1
2. base-two B2
UJT – Equivalent Circuit
When the Voltage VBB is applied
across the two base. The Voltage
across the point E will be:
VE = VBB .RB1
E
RB1+RB2
ɳ= RB1 (intrinsic stand-off ratio)

RB1+RB2
So,
Equivalent Diagram of
VE = ɳ. VBB UJT
UJT – Equivalent Circuit

 The value of ɳ lies between 0.51 to

0.82.
 The resistance RBB can be easily
measured with the help of can
multimeter by keeping the emitter
open circuited. Circuit Symbol

 The resistance of RB2 is less than

RB1, because emitter is near to B2 .
UJT – VI Characteristics

V-I characteristics of UJT

UJT – VI Characteristics

Circuit of V-I characteristics

 V-I Characteristics of UJT
B
V-I Characteristics of UJT
V-I Characteristics of UJT
RC Triggering circuit using UJT
RC Triggering circuit using UJT
RC Triggering circuit using UJT
 Power MOSFETs

• Two Types
– Depletion Type
• Channel region is already diffused between the Drain
and Source
• Deplete, or “pinch-off” the Channel
– Enhancement Type
• No channel region exists between the Drain and Source
• “Invert” the region between the Drain and Source to
induce a channel

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Depletion MOSFET

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 N-Channel Depletion MOSFET

Normally Reverse-Bias the Gate-Source Junction

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Enhancement MOSFET

50
 N-Channel Enhancement MOSFET

The Gate-Source Junction will be Forward-Biased

The bias voltage must be greater than a “threshold” voltage
A Channel region is induced between the Drain and Source

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Drain Characteristics

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Switching Characteristics

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Switching Waveforms and Times

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Turn-on Delay, td(on) = time to charge the input capacitance to
VT
Rise time, tr = Charging time to charge the input capacitance to
the full gate voltage, VGSP in order to drive the transistor into
the linear region of operation
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Turn-off delay time, td(off) = time for the input capacitance to
discharge from “overdrive” voltage V1 to pinch-off.
VGS must decrease significantly for VDS to rise.
Fall time, tf = time for the input capacitance to discharge from
pinch-off to the threshold voltage.
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 Power IGBTs
• Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) and MOSFETs have characteristics that
complement each other.
BJT MOSFET
1. Current driven. 1. Voltage driven.
2. Lower conduction losses in the ON 2. Higher conduction losses in the ON
state. state.
3. Larger switching time. 3. Smaller switching time.
4. Frequency range is higher. 4. Frequency range is lower.
5. Operating voltage is higher (1200V). 5. Operating voltage is lower (200-400V).

• These observations have led to attempts of combining BJTs and MOSFETs on

the same wafer to combine the best qualities of the both. These have led to
the development of IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) also known as
COMFET (Conductivity modulated MOSFET), IGT (Insulated Gate Transistor),
Bipolar MOSFET, Bipolar MOS Transistor, etc.

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 Power IGBTs
• When VDS is +ve and no gate signal is present junction J2 blocks the forward
conduction.
• When VDS is -ve and junction J1 blocks the conduction offering reverse
blocking voltage.

Vertical cross section of a general n channel IGBT

Circuit Symbol
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 Power IGBTs
• Since IGBT is basically a MOSFET, the gate source voltage controls the state
of the device. When VGS < VGS (threshold), there will be no inversion layer in n+
region.
• When VGS > VGS (threshold) an inversion layer is formed in n+ region which
extends into p region into n- region. An electron current flows through this
inversion layer. The electron flow into n- layer by inversion layer causes
attraction of holes from p+ into n- and into p region adjacent to n+ region
under gate. The process takes place by both drift and diffusion.
• As soon as holes are in the p region their space charge attracts electrons
from the source metallization that contacts the body region and excess holes
are quickly recombined. The electron from source constitute the ID current of
the IGBT.

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 Power IGBTs

Vertical cross section of a general n channel IGBT showing

the ON state current flow paths

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 Power IGBTs
• The circuit model comprises of a Darlington configuration with pnp
transistor as the main transistor and the MOSFET as the driver device.

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 Power IGBTs
Latching of IGBTs:
• IGBT structure has a parasitic SCR structure built-in. if this SCR for some
reason turns ON the conduction will continue even when gate current is
turned OFF.
• This unwanted parasitic SCR turn ON may occur with increased ID (drain
current). The ID current at which this SCR turn ON occurs is known as latching
current and the current in excess of latching current should be avoided during
the operation of an IGBT.

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 Power IGBTs
• I-V characteristics of an IGBT is similar to a MOSFET. That is for a particular
VGS, ID increases with VDS for a while and then flattens having breakdown at
BVDSS. So the controlling parameter is VGS.

(a) (b)

IGBT I-V characteristics (a) output characteristics, (b) transfer characteristics

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