POWER DIODE
Dr. Faheem A. Chachar
Engr. Jahangir Badar
p–n junction
Junction diode consisting of
• p-doped silicon
• n-doped silicon
• A p-n junction where the p- and n-
material meet
+ –
v
p + + – n
– –
+ + –
+ + –
+ + + – –
– –
p material n material
contains mobile contains
holes p–n mobile
junction electrons
Formation of depletion
region
also called “space charge layer”
• At the junction, the concentrations of holes and electrons changes
abruptly
• The holes and electrons diffuse in the directionHole
of reducing
Electron
concentration – vo
diffusion
diffusion
p + +
+– + – –
n
+ +
– + –
–
+ + –+
+ + + –+ –
–+ – –
– –
E
• These holes and electrons leave behind charged atoms—a
“depletion region”
• An electric field forms in the vicinity of the junction
• This electric field constitutes an energy barrier that opposes
diffusion
• The device comes to equilibrium when the voltage vo across the
depletion region is enough to stop further diffusion of charges across
the junction
The diode under reverse bias conditions
• Application of an external reverse voltage to the diode causes the depletion
region to increase
• The external voltage is blocked by the depletion region
• Increasing the reverse voltage requires that charge is added to the
depletion region
– vo
p + + +– – + – n
–+– + – –
+ –
+ + + + –
––+ –
+ + + –
+ – –
––+
+E
––+
+
+
–
The diode under forward bias conditions
• When the diode voltage is positive, the depletion region voltage is not large enough
to prevent diffusion of charge across the junction
• Holes from the p-region diffuse across the junction, and become minority carriers in
the n-region, whose energy state is high enough to enable them to conduct
• Similarly, electrons from n-region diffuse across the junction and become minority
carriers in the p-region
– vo +
p + –
n +
– – – –
+ + + – –
+ + – –
+ + – –
+ +
E
Power Diode
• Power semiconductor
diode is the “High
power level” counter
part of the “low power
signal diodes”.
• The symbol of the Power
diode is same as signal
level diode. However,
the construction and
packaging is different.
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Power Diode
• Power diodes are required to carry up to several KA of
current under forward bias condition and block up to
several KV under reverse biased condition.
• Large blocking voltage requires wide depletion layer.
• This requirement will be satisfied in a lightly doped p-n
junction diode of sufficient width to accommodate the
required depletion layer.
• Such a construction, however, will result in a device with
high resistively in the forward direction. There fore almost
1.5 V.
• If forward resistance (and hence power loss) is reduced by
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increasing the doping level, reverse break down voltage will
Power diode
A power diode, under reverse-biased
conditions:
+
–
low
p doping n- n
+ concentra
–
+ tion
–
E
+
– v + –
depletion region, reverse-
biased
Forward-biased power diode
v
i
+
–
conductivity
modulation
p n-
n
+ + –
+
+ –
+ +
–
minority carrier
injection
Turn-on transient
v(t)
The current i(t) is determined by
the
t converter circuit.
Diode conducts with low on-
This current supplies:
resistance
Diode is forward-biased. Supply minority • charge to increase voltage
charge to n– region to reduce on- across depletion region
resistance
Charge depletion • charge needed to support
region the on-state current
i(t
) On-state current determined by • charge to reduce on-
converter circuit
resistance of n– region
t
(1 (2
) )
Turn-off transient
v
i (<
0)
+
–
p n-
n
+ +
+ + +
+ +
+
Removal of stored minority
charge q
Diode turn-off transient
continued
v(t
)
(4) Diode remains forward-
biased. Remove stored
charge in n– region (5) Diode is reverse-
i(t biased. Charge
) depletion region
capacitance.
t 0
r t
d
i
d
t
Are
a
–Qr
(1 (2 (3 (4 (6
) ) ) ) (5) )
Reverse Recovery Time of a diode
• Reverse Recovery time is time required for the diode to
change from FB to RB.
• Forward Recovery time is time required to change from RB
to FB.
• Generally reverse recovery dominates over forward
recovery time because less minority carrier move.
Switching Characteristics of Power Diodes
• Power Diodes take finite time to make transition from
reverse bias to forward bias condition (switch ON) and
vice versa (switch OFF).
• Behavior of the diode current and voltage during these
switching periods are important due to the following
reasons.
– Severe over voltage / over current may be caused by a
diode switching at different points in the circuit using
the diode.
– Voltage and current exist simultaneously during
switching operation of a diode. Therefore, every
switching of the diode is associated with some energy
loss. At high switching frequency this may contribute 18
Turn Off Characteristics
• The reverse recovery
characteristics shown is
typical of a particular
type of diodes called
“normal recovery” or
“soft recovery” diode.
• The total recovery time
(trr) in this case is a few
tens of microseconds.
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Turn Off Characteristics
• This is acceptable for line frequency rectifiers
(these diodes are also called rectifier grade
diodes).
• High frequency circuits (e.g PWM inverters)
demand faster diode recovery, other wise this
reverse recovery current can cause damage.
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Types of Diodes
• Depending on the application requirement
various types of diodes are available.
– Schottky Diode
– Fast Recovery Diode
– Line Frequency Diode/general-purpose diode
Types of Diodes
– Schottky Diode
– Used for high frequency and fast switching applications.
– Formed by joining n-type with metal such as gold, silver, platinum. So
a metal to semiconductor junction.
– It operates with only majority carrier and there is no reverse current
in it.
– Since it operates with no minority carriers therefore applicable in
high frequency switching applications.
– These diodes are used where a low forward voltage drop (typically
0.3 v) is needed.
– These diodes are limited in their blocking voltage capabilities to 50v-
100v. It can not block much reverse voltage. This is disadvantage.
Types of Diodes
– Fast Recovery Diode
– These diodes are designed to be used in high frequency
circuits in combination with controllable switches where
a small reverse recovery time is needed.
– They are used in dc-dc or dc-ac where speed of recovery
is critical important.
– At power levels of several hundred volts and several
hundred amperes such diodes have trr rating of less than
few microseconds.
Types of Diodes
– Line Frequency Diode
– The on state of these diodes is designed to
be as low as possible.
– As a consequence they have large trr,
which are acceptable for line frequency
applications.
Comparison between different types of Diodes
General Purpose Fast Recovery Schottky Diodes
Diodes Diodes
Up to 6000V & Up to 6000V and Up to 100V and
3500A 1100A 300A
Reverse recovery Reverse recovery Reverse recovery
time – High time – Low time – Extremely
low.
trr 25 s trr 0.1 s to 5 s trr a few nano sec
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Comparison between different types
of Diodes
General Purpose Fast Recovery Schottky Diodes
Diodes Diodes
Turn off time – Turn off time – Low Turn off time –
High Extremely low
Switching Switching Switching
frequency – Low frequency – High frequency – Very
(Max 1KHz) (Max 20KHz) high.
(Max 30KHz)
VF 0.7 to 1.2V VF 0.8 to 1.5V VF 0.4 to 0.6V
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