Electrical & Electronic Equipment for Industrial Machinery

Semiconductor devices

Phuong-Tung Pham, Ph.D.

Department of Mechatronics
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

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CONTENTS

Diode

Transistors

Thyrisors

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 Semiconductor device

A semiconductor device is an electronic component that relies on the electronic

properties of a semiconductor material for its function.

Semiconductor material: Primarily silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as

organic semiconductors

Types of semiconductor devices: Diode, BJT, JFET, MOSFET,

Thyristor, Opamp,…

Diode BJT SCR

JFET MOSFET
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 Diode

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 What is a diode?

A diode is an electrical component acting as a one-way valve for current.

Basic structure of a diode
Depletion Region
P-type N-type

• p region is called the anode

• n region is called the cathode

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 Diode Operation

To bias (phân cực) a diode, you apply a DC voltage across it.

• When voltage is applied across a diode in such a way that the diode allows
current, the diode is said to be forward-biased (phân cực thuận).

• When voltage is applied across a diode in such a way that the diode prohibits
current, the diode is said to be reverse-biased (phân cực nghịch).

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 V-I Characteristic of a Diode
The Ideal Diode Model
Forward-biased: Short circuit
Reverse-biased: Open circuit

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 V-I Characteristic of a Diode
The Practical Diode Model
Forward-biased: Includes the barrier potential
Reverse-biased: Open circuit

The Complete Diode Model

Forward-biased: Includes the barrier potential
the small forward dynamic resistance (r’d)
Reverse-biased: Includes the large internal reverse resistance (r’R).

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 V-I Characteristic of a Diode
• The voltage dropped across a
conducting, forward-biased diode is
called the forward voltage.

• Forward voltage for a diode varies only

slightly for changes in forward current
and temperature, and is fixed
principally by the chemical
composition of the P-N junction.
• Silicon diodes have a forward voltage of
approximately 0.7 volts.
• Germanium diodes have a forward voltage
of approximately 0.3 volts.
• If the applied reverse-bias voltage becomes too great, the diode will
experience a condition known as breakdown, which is usually destructive.
• The maximum reverse-bias voltage that a diode can withstand without
"breaking down" is called the Peak Inverse Voltage, or PIV rating

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 Diode Ratings

Absolute Maximum Ratings

• VRRM - The peak reverse voltage that can be applied repetitively across the
diode.
Notice that it is 50 V for the 1N4001 and 1000 V for the 1N4007. This rating is
the same as the PIV.
• IF(AV) The maximum average value of a 60 Hz half-wave rectified forward
current.
This current parameter is 1.0 A for all of the diode types and is specified for an ambient
temperature of 75oC.
• IFSM The maximum peak value of nonrepetitive single half-sine-wave
forward surge current with a duration of 8.3 ms.
This current parameter is 30 A for all of the diode types.
• Tstg The allowable range of temperatures at which the device can be kept
when not operating or connected to a circuit.
• TJ The allowable range of temperatures for the pn junction when the diode is
operated in a circuit.

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 Diode Ratings

Thermal Characteristics
• PD - Average power dissipation is the amount of power that the diode can
dissipate under any condition.

• RθJA - Thermal resistance from the diode junction to the surrounding air.

Electrical Characteristics
• VF - The forward voltage drop across the diode when there is 1 A of forward
current.
To determine the forward voltage for other values of forward current, you must
examine the forward characteristics graph.
• Irr - Maximum full load reverse current averaged over a full ac cycle at 75oC.
• IR - The reverse current at the rated reverse voltage (VRRM).

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 Applications of Diode

Rectifying a voltage: turning AC into DC voltages

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 Zener diode and Schottky diode

 Zener diode
Zener diodes are designed to be operated in reverse-bias
mode, providing a relatively low, stable breakdown, or
zener voltage at which they being to conduct substantial
reverse current.

Zener diodes are widely used in power supplies to

provide a reference voltage.

 Schottky diode
Schottky diodes are constructed of a metal-to-N junction
rather than a P-N semiconductor junction. The drop will
be seen where there is low current and at that stage,
voltage ranges between 0.15 and 0.4 volts.

Schottky diodes are highly used in rectifier applications.

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 Transistors
• BJT
• JFET
• MOSFET

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 Bipolar Junction Transistors

A transistor is a linear semiconductor device that controls current with the

application of a lower-power electrical signal.
Transistors may be roughly grouped into two major divisions: bipolar and
fleld-efiect.

Bipolar junction transistors (BJT): Bipolar transistors are so named because the
controlled current must go through two types of semiconductor material: P and N. The
current consists of both electron and hole flow, in difierent parts of the transistor.

Bipolar transistors consist of either a P-N-P or an N-P-N semiconductor "sandwich"

structure.

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 Bipolar Junction Transistors

The three leads of a bipolar transistor are called the Emitter (E – phát), Base (B –
nền), and Collector (C – thu).
Transistors function as current regulators by allowing a small current to control a
larger current.
The amount of current allowed between collector and emitter is primarily
determined by the amount of current moving between base and emitter.

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 Bipolar Junction Transistors
 BJT Operation
Cutoff: EBJ reverse bias; CBJ reverse bias
Saturate: EBJ forward bias; CBJ forward bias
Active: EBJ forward bias; CBJ reverse bias

• In Cutoff mode, the transistor has zero current through it (fully nonconducting).
• In Saturate mode, the transistor has maximum current through it (fully conducting).
• A transistor is said to be in its active mode if it is operating somewhere between fully
on (saturated) and fully off (cutoff).

EBJ CBJ Biasing

Forward bias Reverse bias
IE IC
N-type P-type N-type
-
-

-
-

-
-
Depletion Region

VEE IB VCC

ACTIVE MODE
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 Bipolar Junction Transistors
 V-I Characteristic of a BJT
Voltage of sources: VBB, VCC
IC
RC
Voltage between leads: VCE, VCB, VBE
RB C
B Voltage at leads: VC, VB, VE
VCC
IB E
The product of VCE and IC must not exceed
IE
VBB
RE
the maximum power dissipation, PD(max).

BE junction is forward biased: VBE ≈ 0.7V (with BJT Si) and 0.3V with BJT Ge

The DC current gain of a transistor is the ratio of the DC collector current (IC) to
the dc base current (IB) and is designated dc beta (βDC)
βDC = IC/IB

The ratio of the dc collector current (IC) to the dc emitter current (IE) is the dc
alpha (αDC). The alpha is a less-used parameter than beta in transistor circuits.
αDC = IC/IE
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 Bipolar Junction Transistors
 V-I Characteristic of a BJT
IC
RC

RB C
B

E VCC
IB

VBB IE
RE

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 Bipolar Junction Transistors
 Applications of BJT
BJT as a switch
(Cutoff mode and saturate mode)

BJT as an amplifier (Active mode)

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 Field-Effect Transistor

Field-effect transistor: A device utilizing a small voltage to control current.

Fleld-effect transistor
• Junction fleld-efiect transistor (JFET)
• Insulated gate field-efiect transistor (IGFET) or MOSFET

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 Junction Field-Efiect Transistor
Junction field-efiect transistor (JFET)

N-channel JFETs are more commonly used than P-channel

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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor
 Operation of JFET
No voltage applied between G and S: the
channel is a wide-open path for
electrons to flow.

A voltage is applied between G and S of

such polarity that it reverse-biases the
PN junction: The flow between S and
D connections becomes limited, or
regulated, just as it was for bipolar
transistors with a set amount of base
current.

Maximum G-S voltage: force the JFET

into cutoff mode

Bipolar transistors are normally-off devices: no current through the base, no current
through the collector or the emitter.
JFETs are normally-on devices: no voltage applied to the gate allows maximum current
through the source and drain.
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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor
 JFET Characteristics and Parameters

Gate-to-source voltage is zero (VGS = 0 V):

• In the Ohmic region, the channel resistance is essentially constant because the
depletion region is not large enough to have significant effect
• Pinch-Off Voltage: For VGS = 0 V, the value of VDS at which ID becomes essentially
constant (point B) is the pinch-off voltage

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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor
 JFET Characteristics and Parameters

The value of VGS that makes ID approximately zero is the cutoff voltage, VGS(off)
• For an n-channel JFET, VGS(off) is negative
• For a p-channel JFET, VGS(off) is positive

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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor
 JFET Characteristics and Parameters

A JFET transfer characteristic curve is expressed approximately as

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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor
 JFET Characteristics and Parameters
The forward transconductance (transfer conductance – độ hỗ dẫn), gm, is an AC
quantity that is defined as a change in drain current (ΔID) divided by a
corresponding change in gate-to-source voltage (ΔVGS) with the drain-to-source
voltage constant.

Calculate the transconductance

I DSS  VGS 
gm 2 1 − 
VGS (cutoff )  VGS (cutoff ) 
2 I DSS
When VGS = 0 V: gm0 =
VGS (cutoff )

 VGS  ID
g m 0 1 −
gm = gm0
 =
 VGS (cutoff ) I DSS
 
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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor

 JFET Characteristics and Parameters

AC Drain-to-Source Resistance: The drain current is relatively constant over a
range of drain-to-source voltages. Therefore, a large change in VDS produces
only a very small change in ID. The ratio of these changes is the ac drain-
tosource resistance of the device, rd.
∆VDS 1
=rd =
∆I DS yos

Datasheets often specify this parameter in

terms of the output conductance, gos, or
output admittance, yos

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 Junction Field-Effect Transistor

 JFET Limiting Parameters

• Gate Source Breakdown Voltage, V(BR)GSS, is the voltage that will do

irreparable damage if it is exceeded between the specified terminals (gate
source)
• On-resistance, RDS(on), is the ratio of drain voltage to drain current. It
determines the power loss and heating loss within the transistor.
• Continuous drain current, ID, is the maximum current that can safely be
carried by a FET continuously. If pulsed, this current can be exceeded
depending on the width and duty cycle of pulses. ID is derated for increasing
case temperature.
• Power dissipation, PD, is the maximum power allowed for safe operation and
is based in junction to case temperature.
• Safe operating area, SOA, is a set of curves that define the maximum value of
drain to source voltage as a function of drain current which guarantees safe
operation when the device is forward biased.

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 Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistor
The MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) is another category
of field-effect transistor.
Metal (gate) - Oxide (barrier) - Semiconductor (channel) construction
Unlike the JFET, the MOSFET has no pn junction structure; instead, the gate of
the MOSFET is insulated from the channel by a silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer.

The two basic types of MOSFETs are enhancement (E) and depletion (D). Of the
two types, the enhancement MOSFET is more widely used.
The substrate lead is directly connected to the source lead to make the two
electrically common.

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 Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistor
 Depletion MOSFET (D-MOSFET)

The Drain (D) and Source (S) connect to

the to n-doped regions.
These N-doped regions are connected via
an n-channel.
This n-channel is connected to the Gate
(G) via a thin insulating layer of SiO2.
The n-doped material lies on a p-doped
substrate that may have an additional
terminal connection called SS.

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 Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistor
 Depletion MOSFET (D-MOSFET)

A D-MOSFET can operate in two modes: Depletion or Enhancement mode.

 Depletion mode: The characteristics are similar to the JFET.
When VGS = 0V, ID = IDSS
When VGS < 0V, ID < IDSS 2
 VGS 
The formula used to plot the Transfer Curve still applies:=
I D I DSS 1 − 
 VP 
 Enhancement mode
VGS > 0V, ID increases above IDSS
The formula used to plot the
Transfer Curve still applies:
2
 V 
I D I DSS 1 − GS 
=
 VP 
(note that VGS is now a positive polarity)

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 Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistor
 Enhancement MOSFET (E-MOSFET)

The structure is similar to the D-MOSFET, except

that there is no small channel connecting the D-S

A small channel is created when a positive VGS

potential is applied to the G and S

The E-MOSFET uses only channel enhancement.

• n-channel device requires a positive gate-to-
source voltage
• p-channel device requires a negative gate-to-
source voltage
There is no drain current when VGS = 0 -> the E-
MOSFET does not have a significant IDSS
parameter

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 Insulated Gate Field-Effect Transistor
 Enhancement MOSFET (E-MOSFET)

Equation for the E-MOSFET transfer characteristic curve is:

I D k (VGS − VT )
2
=
VT = threshold voltage or voltage at which the MOSFET turns on

The constant K depends

on the particular MOSFET
and can be determined
from the datasheet by
taking the specified value
of ID, called ID(on), at the
given value of VGS and
substituting the values
into the equation.
I D ( on )
k=
(VGS (on) − VT )
2

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 Thyristors
• Four-layer diode
• SCR
• DIAC
• TRIAC

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 Shockley diode

Shockley diode: The four-layer diode is a type of thyristor, which is a class of

devices constructed of four alternating p- and n-type semiconductor layers.

Alternative rendering of the device’s construction

A set of interconnected bipolar transistors, one PNP and the other NPN

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 Shockley diode
 Operation of a Shockley diode
Current through the circuit is at or nearly at zero,
as the breakdown limit has not been reached for
either transistor

Breakdown: It will begin to conduct collector

current even though no base current has gone
through it yet.
Normally, this sort of treatment would destroy a
bipolar junction transistor, but the PNP junctions
comprising a Shockley diode are engineered to
take this kind of abuse

Assume the lower transistor

breaks down first, sending
current through the base of the
upper transistor

The two transistors "sealing"

themselves in the "on" state.

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 Shockley diode
 Operation of a Shockley diode
Both transistors maintained in a state of
saturation with the presence of ample base
current

They will continue to conduct even if the

applied voltage is greatly reduced from the
breakdown level

There is only one way to cause a Shockley

diode to stop conducting, and that is to
reduce the current going through it to a
level below its low-current dropout
threshold.

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 Shockley diode
 Operation of a Shockley diode
A four-layer diode characteristic curve

Forward-Breakover Voltage VBR(F): the voltage at which the Shockley diode enters the
forward-conduction region
Holding Current: Once the four-layer diode is conducting (in the on state), it
will continue to conduct until the anode current is reduced below a specified
level, called the holding current, IH.
Switching Current: The value of the anode current at the point where the device
switches from the forward-blocking region (off) to the forward-conduction
region (on) is called the switching current, IS.
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 DIAC
DIAC: (diode ac) Two Shockley diodes may be joined in parallel facing different
directions

bidirectional (AC)
operation

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 Silicon-Controlled Rectifler
Silicon-Controlled Rectifler (SRC): is essentially a four-layer diode with a gate
terminal.
If an SCR’s gate is left floating (disconnected), it behaves exactly as a Shockley
diode.
The gate terminal that connects directly to the base of the lower transistor may
be used to trigger the device into conduction (latch it) by the application of a
small voltage.

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 Silicon-Controlled Rectifler
 Operation of a SRC
Turn on a SRC
• Intentional triggering of the gate terminal
• Excessive voltage (breakdown) between anode and cathode
• Excessive rate of voltage rise between anode and cathode

When the gate returns to 0 V after the trigger pulse is removed, the SCR cannot turn off; it stays
in the forward-conduction region.
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 Silicon-Controlled Rectifler
 Operation of a SRC
Turn off a SRC
• Make anode current falling below the holding current value (low-current
dropout)
• “Reverse-firing" the gate (applying a negative voltage to the gate).
Reversefiring is only sometimes effective, and always involves high gate
current.

SCRs are true rectiflers: they only allow

current through them in one direction.

A common application of SCRs is in the

control of ac power for lamp dimmers,
electric heaters, and electric motors.

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 Silicon-Controlled Rectifler
 SRC Ratings
• Forward-breakover voltage, VBR(F) : The value of VBR(F) is maximum when IG = 0. When
the gate current in increased, VBR(F) decreases
• Holding current, IH: The value increases with decreasing values of IG and is maximum
for IG = 0.
• Gate trigger current, IGT : This is the value of gate current necessary to switch the SCR
from the forward-blocking region to the forward-conduction region under specified
conditions.
• Average forward current, IF(avg) : This is the maximum continuous anode current (DC)
that the device can withstand in the conduction state under specified conditions.

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 TRIAC
TRIAC: Two SCRs are joined in back-to-back parallel fashion just like two Shockley
diodes were joined together to form a DIAC

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