Lecture # 5

Power Losses in Power

Semiconductor Switches
Prof. Dr. Shahid Iqbal
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Gujrat
Email: [email protected]
 Power Loss in Power Switches

•There are two major sources of power loss in power

switches:
•1) Conduction or static loss, Pstatic
–a) on-state loss, Pon - major loss at low frequencies
–b) off-state loss, Poff - not significance, can be neglected
•2) Switching or dynamic loss, Pdynamic
–c) turn-on loss - significance at high frequencies
–d) turn-off loss - significance at high frequencies
•The total power loss in the switch is Ptotal = Pstatic + Pdynamic
•Assumptions: steady-state operation has been achieved
and the voltage, current and power waveforms are periodical.
 Power Loss in Power Diodes
Assume, the switching times << period and iD + vD -
negligible leakage current. Hence, only on-
state loss is considered. D
~ load
1 t0 T 1 t 0 T
P
T t 0
p(t )dt 
T t 0
iD (t )vD (t )dt supply

1 t0 T

T t 0
iD (t ){Vth  iD (t ) Ron} dt
+ iD
iD
t0 T t0 T 2
t iD (t ) dt  iD (t ) dt 1/Ron vD
Vth
 Vth  Ron
0 t
0
Ron
T T Vth vD -
 Vth I D ,mean  Ron I D2 ,rms
piecewise linear diode model
= static on-state power loss + resistive power loss during on conduction
Note that at high frequencies (~101 kHz), the switching Vth ~ 1V and
losses are significant. Fast-recovery or Schottky diodes Ron ~ 0.01 to 1 
must be used. Note, for Schottky diodes, Vth ~ 0.3V.
Power loss in controllable switches, BJT
Ideal resistive load (1. Static Loss)
V1
VCC vb
t2
RL
-V2 t1 t
T
iC IC(on)
vb Rb
iC tw
vCE
ib t
vBE VCC
vCE
Assume, VCC >> VCE(sat) , IC(on) t
p(t) WT,sw-on WT,sw-off
>> IC(leak) , negligible turn-on
delay time and storage time t
on ton off toff

On state losses: Pon = [VCE(sat).IC(on) + VBE(on).IB(on)] [ton/T]

Off state losses: Poff = VCC.IC(leak) [toff/T]
Total static losses: Pstatic = Pon + Poff
Pstatic = [VCE(sat).IC(on) + VBE(on).IB(on)][ton/T] + [VCC.IC(leak) ][toff/T]

This static loss equation is valid for any load.

Power loss in controllable switches, BJT
Ideal resistive load (Dynamic Loss)
Turn-on loss:
V
Consider interval on with t1 = 0, vb 1
t2
iC(t) = IC(on)[t/on] , vCE(t) = VCC - VCC[t/on] -V2 t1 t
p(t) = vCE(t).iC(t) = (VCC-VCC[t/on]).IC(on)[t/on] I T
C(on)
WT 
By P 
T
T 0
, W  p(t ) dt iC tw
on t
Average power, Pswon  VCC I C ( on) VCC
6T vCE
Turn-off loss: t
Consider interval off with t2 = 0, p(t) WT,sw-on WT,sw-off
iC(t) =IC(on)- IC(on) [t/off] , vCE(t) = VCC[t/off] t
on ton off toff
p(t) = vCE(t).iC(t) = VCC[t/off](IC(on)-IC(on)[t/off])
off
Average power, Pswoff  VCC I C ( on)
6T Hence, total power losses in the
Total dynamic losses:
Pdynamic = Psw-on + Psw-off BJT can be approximated by
Pdynamic = VCC IC(on)[on/ 6T]+VCC IC(on)[off / 6T] Ptotal = Pstatic + Pdynamic
= [VCCIC(on)(on+off )]/6T
Power loss in controllable switches, BJT
Ideal inductive load (Dynamic Loss)
VCC V1
vb
t3 t4
iD IL = const -V2 t1 t2 t
L T
D IC(on)
iC = I L - iD
vb iC tw,i
vCE = VCC - vL t
VCC tw,v
vBE vCE
WT,1 WT,3 t
Total dynamic losses: p(t) WT,2 WT,4
WT 1 2 3 4 t
Pdynamic  ton toff
T on off
Where, WT = WT,1+ WT,2+ WT,3+ WT,4
During interval 1 with t1 = 0,
Then, Pdynamic  P1  P2  P3  P4 iC = IC(on)[t/1] , vCE = VCC
p(t) = vCE(t).iC(t) = IC(on)VCC[t/1]
where WT ,i 1
Pi  Average power, P1  VCC I C (on)
T 2T
Power loss in controllable switches, BJT
Ideal inductive load (Dynamic Loss)
During interval 2 with t2 = 0,
iC = IC(on) , vCE = VCC - VCC[t/2] Hence, the turn-on losses is
on
p(t) = vCE(t).iC(t) = (VCC-VCC[t/2])IC(on) Pswon  P1  P2  VCC I C (on)
2 2T
Average power, P2  VCC I C (on)
2T
The same approach is applied to find out turn-off losses.
off
Pswoff  P3  P4  VCC I C (on)
2T
Hence, total dynamic losses:
Pdynamic  P1  P2  P3  P4  Pswon  Pswoff
on  off
 VCC I C ( on )
2T
• Thus, the dynamic losses depend on the nature of load. Here, it is shown that
the dynamic losses for an ideal inductive load is 3 times larger than that of an
ideal resistive load, provided same operating conditions.
• Note that for L/R < T, L/R >T or L/R ~ T, the total dynamic losses should fall in
between the losses of the two ideal cases.
Power loss in controllable switches, BJT
Switching Trajectories
Inductive load with free-wheeling diode
iC
ICM

saturation C I 10s
100s Pulse duration
Turn-off 1ms
dc

BVCEO vCE
V
Resistive load Turn-on CC
Idealized switching trajectories

• If T >> on and off , ton + toff ~ T. We can use duty cycle in the static power loss
formula. The duty cycle is defined as
t w ton toff T  ton
D  and   1 D
T T T T
• Note that for T > on and off (the minimum square wave definition is T = 10on), ton
+ toff + on + off = T, the duty cycle is hardly defined for the waveform.
 Power Loss in Power MOSFETs
On-state loss: Resistive load
ton vGS
Pon  2
I D(on) .RDS (on) VGS, sat
T VGS(th)
Off-state loss: ID(on) VDD t
vDS
toff iD on off
Poff  I D (off ) .VDD on off t
T
Dynamic Switching Losses:
Same switching losses expressions as for Inductive load with clamping diode
BJTs, however, the values of switch-on & vGS
switch-off times are different VGS, sat
VGS(th)
VDD ID(on)
Pdynamic loss,resistive  (on  off ) vDS
ID(on) VDD t
6T iD on off
VDD ID(on) on off t
Pdynamic loss,inductive  (on  off )
2T
 Transistors in Series

•Turn-on and turn-off must be simultaneously.

Otherwise, the slowest device at turn-on and the
fastest device at turn-off will be subjected to the full
voltage of the collector-emitter (or drain-source) circuit
and that particular device may be destroyed due to a
high voltage.
•The devices should be matched for gain,
transconductance, threshold voltage, on-state voltage,
turn-on time, and turn-off time. Even the gate or base
drive characteristics should be identical.
•Voltage-sharing networks similar to diodes could be
used.
Parallel Operation of Power BJT

R IC1 R IC2

T1 T2
 Parallel operation of MOSFETs
• MOSFET can be connected in series to increase V ratings or in parallel to
increase I ratings just like diode or BJT. However, it has advantage in parallel
use as follow:

A Ra Rb B Ra Rb B
A
Ia Ib Ia Ib
Rg Rg Rg Rg
 Gate/Base Driver Circuit
 Power semiconductor devices can be categorized into
three types based on their control input requirements:

1. current-driven devices - BJTs, MDs, GTOs

2. voltage-driven devices - MOSFETs, IGBTs, MCTs
3. pulse-driven devices - SCRs, TRIACs,

 GTOs require continuous current during on-state to

avoid any possible damage on the cathode islands.
 MCTs are recommended applying continuous voltage
at the gate to prevent accidental turn-off or turn-on.
Drive circuits for power semiconductor
switches
Two basic types:

1) DC-coupled drive circuits

a) with unipolar output (+ or - voltage)
b) with bipolar output (+ and - voltages)

2) Electrically isolated drive circuits

a) opto-coupler isolated
b) transformer isolated
 Current control device: BJT Turn-on &
Turn-off Control
1. Simple BJT and MD base drive controls
IB1
iB
Turn-on Control VC1
C1 IBS
t1 iC
t2 R1 iB
V1
vB t
-IB2
0V vB R2 vBE
-V2 t

IB1 = (V1-VBE(on))/R1
Turn-off Control
C1 IBS = (V1-VBE(on))/(R1+R2)
D1
R2
iC
V1 vB R1 R3 R4
IB2 = (VC1(max)+V2-VBE(on))/R1
0V vB C2 iB
-V2 t
 2. DC-coupled Drive with unipolar output

VBB VCC
Represent an ideal
RB/FB inductive circuit
Amplifying TB Io
stage on/off
i1 iB
Power BJT
R1 on/off
Basic power BJT
From control
on/off R2 drive circuit.
3. DC-coupled drive circuit with bipolar output

CB +VBB
RB
Power
C1 BJT
off/on TB+

off/on
on/off TB-

on/off C2

-VBB

A totem-pole BJT drive circuit

Electrically isolated drive circuits
Isolated dc PS
main

Signal Drive Power

Control isolation circuit Switch
signal
vf
Floated  Earth  const

Opto-coupler Pulse transformer

vf
vf
LED Photo-transistor
 Voltage-controlled gate drive circuits
MOSFETs, IGBTs and MCTs require the same input control conditions.
Some precautions must be taken care in order to avoid any possible
damage.

1. Estimation of transient gate current

Consider a MOSFET being driven by a 15V step voltage at gate with a
rise time of 100ns during turn-on. Assume the fall time of vDS is
~100ns, VDD = 400V, Cgd ~ Cgs = 250pF
VDD
dV dvgs dvgd
i C ig  Cgs  Cgd vgd
dt dt dt R
v =v -v v = v - v Cgd
gd gs ds gd gs ds
vds
15 415
ig  250 10 12.  250  10 12
Cgs
100 10 9 100 10 9
vgs
ig  0.0375  1.0375  1.075 A
2. Gate Oscillations
Inductance of
wire D wire

Very low Ci/p

G S
impedance
driver
If the stray inductance due to the connecting wire is LS= 10H and the input
capacitance Ci/p = 500pF as before, then the resonant frequency of the LC circuit
model will be 2.3MHz ( = 1/LC); (L/C) = 140 » Rint  lightly damped
oscillation. vdriver
15V

vgate Could lead to excessive VGS(max)

15V
Could lead to excessive losses
3. Methods to Damp Oscillations

D D G D

S
G S G S

Resistor Ferrite Bead Zener diode pair

4. Gate Discharge Resistance

VDD VDD
Load Load
Cgd
D D
G G
S Rdischarge S
Cgs
To turn off if turn on too quickly
Unipolar and Bipolar Gate drive circuits
for power MOSFETS
VGG VGG

R1 off/on
From RG
control R2
circuit on/off
on/off off/on
on/off off/on
dc-coupled, unipolar drive dc-coupled, unipolar, totem-pole
drive

VGG+ on/off VGG+

R1 on/off
RG
R2

VGG- VGG-

dc-coupled, bipolar drives