BAHCESEHIR UNIVERSITY

POWER ELECTRONIC LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 5: INVERTERS & IGBT CHARACTERISTICS

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

1. Understanding the construction and the operation of IGBTs.

2. Understanding the characteristics of IGBTs.

THEORY

The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) plays an important role in the field of power
electronics and is widely used in many applications such as the uninterruptible power supply
(UPS), variable-speed motor control in air conditioning systems, robot control in factory
automation.

In terms of operating frequency, current and voltage ratings, a comparison among IGBT,
MOSFET, and BJT: The BJT has the highest current rating and lowest operating frequency.
The MOSFET has the lowest current and voltage ratings, but highest operating frequency.
The IGBT current capability is close to the BJT and has highest voltage rating, but operating
frequency is lower than MOSFET.

There are three terminals for IGBTs, namely collector (C), emitter (E), and gate (G). Figure 5
shows the symbol of a IGBT. The construction of the IGBT is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5: N ype MOSFET symbol.

Figure 6: MOSFET Construction

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Figure 7: IGBT output characteristic curve

Figure 8: IGBT transfer characteristic curve

Switching Parameters of IGBT:

a.) Turn on Delay Time (𝑡𝑑,𝑜𝑛 ): The turn on delay time is defined as the time from 𝑉𝐺𝐸 =
0 to 𝐼𝐶 = 10% of its final value.
b.) Rise Time (𝑡𝑟 ): 𝑡𝑟 is the time of collector current increase from 10% to 90% of its final
value.
c.) Turn on Time (𝑡𝑜𝑛 ): the turn on time is the sum of the turn on delay time and the rise
time.
d.) Turn on Switching Energy (𝐸𝑜𝑛 ): Turn on switching energy is the turn on energy loss.
It is mesured in the interval 10% collector current to %5 of the collector to emitter
voltage.
e.) Turn off Delay Time (𝑡𝑑,𝑜𝑓𝑓 ): The turn off delay time is defined as the time from 𝑉𝐺𝐸 =
90% of it initial value to 𝐼𝐶 = 90% of its initial value.

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f.) Fall Time (𝑡𝑓 ): The fall time of collector current is defined as the time between 𝐼𝐶 =
90% to 10% of its initial value.
g.) Turn off Time (𝑡𝑜𝑓𝑓 ): The turn off time is the sum of the turn off delay time and the fall
time.
h.) Turn of Switching Energy (𝐸𝑜𝑓𝑓 ): It is the turn off energy loss when the IGBT switches
from ON state to OFF state. This energy is measured in the interval from 10% 𝑉𝐶𝐸 to
10% 𝐼𝐶 .

PROCEDURE

1. Do the configuration below on matlab/simulink

Parameters

1. Dc voltage source (10 V)

2. Pulse generator (period 0.02, pulse width 75%)
3. Resistor (1 Ω)

Homework
Now, it is your turn. Create a three phase IGBT based inverter. Show your works (do
not forget to show parameters you entered) and results.

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POWER ELECTRONIC LABORATORY