Q. Illustrate Power Semiconductor Devices?
Since the advent of the first thyristor or silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) in 1957, tremendous advances have been made in power semiconductor devices during the past four decades. The devices can be divided broadly into four types:
• Power diodes
• Thyristors
• Power bipolar junction transistors (BJTs)
• Power MOSFETs (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors).
Thyristors can be subdivided into seven categories:
• Forced-commutated thyristor
• Line-commutated thyristor
• Gate turn-off thyristor (GTO)
• Reverse-conducting thyristor (RCT)
• Static-induction thyristor (SITH)
• Gate-assisted turn-off thyristor (GATT)
• Light-activated silicon-controlled rectifier (LASCR).
Whereas this comprehensive table, as of 1983, is given here for illustration purposes only, several new developments have taken place since then: A single thyristor is currently available with the capability of blocking 6.5 kV and controlling 1 kA. The 200-V Schottky barrier diodes are commercially available with ratings of several hundred amperes, up to 1 kA, and with blocking voltages as high as 1-5 kV.