A comparison of time-average power losses in insulated-gate bipolar transistors and hybrid SIT–MOS–transistors

Abstract

Switching of equivalent silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors, such as carrier-stored trenchgate bipolar transistors (CSTBTs) and hybrid static induction transistor/metal–oxide–semiconductor (SIT–MOS) thyristors (HSMTs), from a blocking state to a conducting state and vice versa is numerically simulated in two dimensions. It is shown that on–off switching losses in an HSMT are greater than in a fully equivalent CSTBT. Thus, time-average power P that dissipates in an HSMT becomes smaller than the power in the equivalent CSTBTh only at a long current pulse duration. However, a decrease in lifetime τ₀ of nonequilibrium charge carriers in an SIT makes it possible to significantly reduce HSMT switching losses while maintaining its advantage in the on state. Consequently, for each set of CSTBT parameters, such τ₀, it can be selected in the almost equivalent HSMT that power P dissipating in the HSMT will be smaller than the power in the equivalent CSTBT in any given range of amplitude J_a and duration T_on of the current pulses.