Lec 2

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Lecture-2

Power Devices

Nadim Chowdhury
Department of EEE
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

nadim@eee.buet.ac.bd
Power Diode
• A power diode is a two-terminal pn-junction device and a pn-junction is
normally formed by alloying, diffusion, and epitaxial growth. The modern
control techniques in diffusion and epitaxial processes permit the desired
device characteristics

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IV Characteristics

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Reverse Recovery Characteristics
• The current in a forward-biased junction diode is due to the net effect of majority and
minority carriers. Once a diode is in a forward conduction mode and then its forward
current is reduced to zero (due to the natural behavior of the diode circuit or application of
a reverse voltage), the diode continues to conduct due to minority carriers that remain
stored in the pn-junction and the bulk semiconductor material.
• The minority carriers require a certain time to recombine with opposite charges and to be
neutralized. This time is called the reverse recovery time of the diode.

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Reverse Recovery Characteristics

The diode voltage passes through a transient oscillation period to


complete the stored charge recovery until it falls to its normal reverse
operating voltage. The complete process is nonlinear and Figure here is
used only to illustrate the process.

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Reverse Recovery Characteristics
• There are two types of recovery: soft and hard (or
abrupt). The soft-recovery type is more common.
• The reverse recovery time is denoted as trr and is
measured from the initial zero crossing of the diode
current to 25% of maximum (or peak) reverse current
IRR.
• The trr consists of two components, ta and tb.
• ta is due to charge storage in the depletion region of the
junction and represents the time between the zero
crossing and the peak reverse current IRR.
• The tb is due to charge storage in the bulk
semiconductor material. For practical purposes, one
needs be concerned with the total recovery time trr and
the peak value of the reverse current IRR. 6
Reverse Recovery Characteristics
The reverse recovery time and the peak reverse recovery current
depend on the storage charge QRR and the reverse (or reapplied) di/dt.

The storage charge is dependent on the forward diode current IF. The
peak reverse recovery current IRR, and reverse charge QRR are all of
interest
to the circuit designer, and these parameters are commonly included
in the specification sheets of diodes.

If a diode is in a reverse-biased condition, a leakage current flows due


to the minority carriers. Then the application of forward voltage would
force the diode to carry current in the forward direction. However, it
requires a certain time known as forward recovery (or turn-on) time
before all the majority carriers over the whole junction can contribute
to the current flow.

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Power diode types
• Standard or general-purpose diodes
‒ General-purpose diodes are available up to 6000 V, 4500 A. The general-purpose rectifier diodes have
relatively high reverse recovery time, typically 25  micro-sec; and are used in low-speed applications,
where recovery time is not critical (e.g., diode rectifiers and converters for a low-input frequency up to 1-
kHz applications and line-commutated converters). These diodes cover current ratings from less than 1 A
to several thousands of amperes, with voltage ratings from 50 V to around 5 kV.
• Fast-recovery diodes
‒ The rating of fast recovery diodes can go up to 6000 V, 1100 A. The reverse recovery time varies between
0.1  micro-sec and 5  micro-sec. The fast-recovery diodes are essential for high-frequency switching of
power converters.
• Schottky diodes
‒ Schottky diodes have a low on-state voltage and a very small recovery time, typically in nanoseconds. The
leakage current increases with the voltage rating and their ratings are limited to 100 V, 300 A. A diode
conducts when its anode voltage is higher than that of the cathode; and the forward voltage drop of a
power diode is very low, typically 0.5 V to 1.2 V.

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Series-Connected Diodes
• In many high-voltage applications (e.g., high-voltage direct current [HVDC]
transmission lines), one commercially available diode cannot meet the
required voltage rating, and diodes are connected in series to increase the
reverse blocking capabilities.

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Series-Connected Diodes

Series-connected diodes with steady-state voltage- Series diodes with voltage-sharing


sharing characteristics. networks under steady-state and
transient conditions.

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Parallel Connected Diodes

q In high-power applications, diodes are connected in


parallel to increase the current carrying capability to
meet the desired current requirements. The current
sharings of diodes would be in accord with their
respective forward voltage drops.

q Uniform current sharing can be achieved by providing


equal inductances (e.g., in the leads) or by
connecting current-sharing resistors (which may not
be practical due to power losses).

q It is possible to minimize this problem by selecting


diodes with equal forward voltage drops or diodes of
the same type. Because the diodes are connected in
parallel, the reverse blocking voltages of each diode
would be the same.

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Parallel Connected Diodes

• Current sharing under dynamic conditions can


be accomplished by connecting coupled
inductors as shown in Figure.
• If the current through D1 rises, the L*di/dt
across L1 increases, and a corresponding voltage
of opposite polarity is induced across inductor
L2. The result is a low-impedance path through
diode D2 and the current is shifted to D2.
• The inductors may generate voltage spikes and
they may be expensive and bulky, especially at
high currents.

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Diode Switched RC Load

With initial condition vc(t = 0)= 0

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Diode Switched RL Load

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Diode Switched RL Load
• If t >> L/R,the voltage across the inductor tends to be zero and its current reaches
a steady-state value of Is = Vs/R. If an attempt is then made to open switch S1, the
energy stored in the inductor 0.5Li2 will be transformed into a high reverse
voltage across the switch and diode.
• This energy dissipates in the form of sparks across the switch; diode D1 is likely to
be damaged in this process.
• To overcome such a situation, a diode commonly known as a freewheeling diode
is connected across an inductive load

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Diode Switched LC Load
A diode circuit with an LC load is shown in Figure. The source
voltage Vs is a dc constant voltage. When switch S1 is closed at
t = 0, the charging current i of the capacitor is expressed as

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Diode Switched LC Load
The initial rate of rise of the current (at t = 0) as

The voltage vc across the capacitor can be derived as

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Diode Switched LC Load
• Because there is no resistance in the circuit, there can be no energy loss. Thus, in
the absence of any resistance, the current of an LC circuit oscillates and the
energy is transferred from C to L and vice versa.
• D1 is connected in series with the switch and it will prevent any negative current
flow through the switch. In the absence of the diode, the LC circuit will continue
to oscillate forever.
• The output of the capacitor C can be connected to other similar circuits consisting
of a switch, and a diode connected in series with an L and a C to obtain multiples
of the dc supply voltage VS. This technique is used to generate a high voltage for
pulse power and superconducting applications.

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Self study: Diode switched RLC load

Thank you for your attention

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