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Power Electronics

Lecture 2
Power Electronic Devices
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Outline

I.An introductory overview of power electronic

devices
II.Uncontrolled device — power diode
III.Half-controlled device—Thyristor
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I. An introductory overview of power electronic

devices

 The concept and features

 Configuration of systems using power electronic
devices
 Classifications
 Major topics
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 Power electronic devices:

are the electronic devices that can be directly
used in the power processing circuits to convert
or control electric power.

Major material used in power semiconductor

devices —Silicon
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Features of power electronic devices:

The electric power that power electronic device deals
with is usually much larger than that the information
electronic device does.
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Features of power electronic devices

Need to be controlled by information electronic
circuits. Very often, drive circuits are necessary
to interface between information circuits and
power circuits.

Dissipated power loss usually larger than

information electronic devices — special
packaging and heat sink are necessary.
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Power losses on power semiconductor

devices
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Configuration of systems using power

electronic devices

Protection circuit is also very often used in power electronic

system especially for the expensive power semiconductors.
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Terminals of a power electronic device

Control signal from drive circuit must be connected

between the control terminal and a fixed power circuit
terminal (therefore called common terminal ).
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A classification of power electronic

devices
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Other classifications
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Major topics for each device

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Passive components in power electronic circuit

Transformer, inductor, capacitor and resistor:

these are passive components in a power electronic
circuit since they can not be controlled by control
signal and their characteristics are usually constant
and linear.

The requirements for these passive components

by power electronic circuits could be very different
from those by ordinary circuits.
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II. Uncontrolled device Power diode

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PN junction
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PN junction with voltage applied in the

forward direction
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PN junction with voltage applied in the
reverse direction

 Avalanche breakdown occurs in a PN

junction diode which is moderately
doped and has a thick junction.
 high reverse voltage across the diode

 In an ordinary diode, when reverse biasing voltage is increased to

a breakdown value, a heavy current flows through the device.
This will cause overheating of device that permanently destroys it
and this is called thermal breakdown
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Construction of a practical power diode
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Junction capacitor

Junction capacitance is the capacitance which forms in a PN

junction diode under reverse bias. In a normal capacitor, the two
parallel conducting plates are electrodes which allow the
conduction. ... When a voltage or potential difference is applied
across a capacitor the charges accumulates at the electrode
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Static characteristics of power diode

Practical representation of the static characteristic of a

power diode.
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Switching (dynamic) characteristics of power diode
diode

 If tb is negligible compared to ta which is a

very common case, then the following expression
is valid:
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Example: The manufacturer of a selected diode gives the rate of fall of

the diode current di/dt = 20A/μs, and its reverse recovery time trr = 5
μs. What value of peak reverse current do you expect?
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Find the current through the diode in the circuit shown in

Fig. Assume the diode to be ideal.
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Find the current through the diode in the circuit shown in

Fig. Assume the diode to be ideal.
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Types of power diodes

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History and applications of power diode

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