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CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Diode Characteristics
3. Reverse Recovery Characteristics
4. Silicon Carbide Diodes
INTRODUCTION
A diode acts as a switch to perform various
functions, such as:
Switches in rectifiers
Freewheeling in switching regulators
Charge reversal of capacitor and energy transfer
between components
Energy feedback from load to the power source
Trapped energy recovery
DIODE CHARACTERISTICS
A power diode is a two-terminal pn junction device.
When anode is positive with respect to the cathode,
the diode is said to be forward biased and it
conducts.
When diode conducts it has a
small forward drop voltage
(which depends on
manufacturing process and
junction temperature).
Diode
current
Leakage Current or
Reverse Saturation
Current (10-15 to 10-6 A)
Diode
voltage
Thermal
Voltage
Empirical constant:
Emission coefficient or
Ideality Factor(1 to 2)
REVERSE RECOVERY
CHARACTERISTICS
Current in forward-biased junction diode is due
to the net effect of majority and minority carriers.
Once its forward current is reduced to zero, the
diode continues to conduct due to minority
carriers that remain stored in 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 reverse recovery time of the
diode.
IF : forward current
IRR : reverse recovery current
trr : reverse recovery time, measured from zero crossing to 25% of IRR
ta : time due to charge storage in depletion region of pn-junction
tb : time due to charge storage in the bulk semiconductor material
Softness factor
(SF)
Power Diodes
General purpose
Rating up to 6000V, 4500A
High speed (or fast recovery)
Rating up to 6000V, 1100A
Reverse recovery time 0.1 to 5s
Essential for high-frequency switching
Schottky
Low on-state voltage
Very small recover time (typically nanoseconds).
Leakage current increases with voltage rating
Rating limited to 100V, 300A