Investigation of the Turn-off Process of an Integrated Thyristor with an Embedded Control System

Abstract

The results of studying the turn-off process of an integrated thyristor chip with dimensions of 13.5 × 13.5 mm, ~1 cm² working area, and 2.5 kV blocking voltage, which was recently developed at VZPP-Micron, are presented. The thyristor was tested in a power circuit with an inductive load and switched-off by a gate current pulse with an amplitude equal to the power current. To reduce the inductance of the gate turn-off circuit, the switch-off pulse current former is located directly near the thyristor chip. Tests have shown that at 1200 V operating voltage, damage of the thyristor during turn-off process occurs at 107 A power current due to the electrons injection from the emitter junction into the region of the collector space charge. To eliminate this effect and increase the maximum switchable current, it is necessary to increase the rise rate of the turn-off current pulse in the gate electrode circuit.