Fast transient behavior of thyristor switches
Abstract
The fast transient behavior of thyristor switches above the recommended di/dt was investigated. Two types of thyristors in compression packages were tested. Both types are fast switching devices, differing principally in their gate-cathode geometries. One type is centered fired, while the other is slightly interdigitated. Two pulse forming networks were designed. The first was a twelve section, equal inductance, equal capacitance, type E PFN, whose output was a 100 microsceond pulse with a rise time of .5 microsecond. The second PFN was a 125 section equal inductance, equal capacitance, type E network whose output is a 10 microsecond pulse with a rise time of 10ns. Twenty devices, ten of each type, were electrically characterized initially. Five of each type switched the 10 microsecond PFN single-shot at step-wise increasing values of di/dt until the maximum available value was reached. The remaining ten devices were repetitively pulsed at a high di/dt, and recharacterized at logarithimic time intervals. Failure analysis consisted of the determination of gross faults by opening the packages and examining the device chip.
- Publication:
-
Final Report
- Pub Date:
- February 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985ttu..rept.....P
- Keywords:
-
- Electric Switches;
- Switching Circuits;
- Thyristors;
- Electric Pulses;
- Electrical Faults;
- Failure;
- High Speed;
- Intervals;
- Networks;
- Semiconductor Devices;
- Surges;
- Switching;
- Time;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering