Design of Power Electronic Converters

Professor Dr. Shabari Nath

So, welcome back to the course on Design of Power Electronic Converters. And we were
discussing the module power semiconductor devices and we had started with diodes. And there
we saw the different types of diodes and also the vi characteristics and switching characteristics
of the diodes.

Now, let us look into the terms, which are mostly given in data sheets. So, in this lecture, I will
be telling you what are the important notations in data sheets, which you should be looking for
while choosing your diode for your design.
(Refer Slide Time: 01:13)

So, a data sheet of power semiconductor device usually has got the important ratings. And it will
also contain the important features and applications. The device manufacturer generally will
specify for which type of application the device has been designed. And what are the important
features or the key features of that device.

Then the manufacturer will also provide the absolute maximum ratings for that device, every
device can withstand below a particular level of different specifications of different parameters.
So, those will be specified, the absolute maximum ratings. Then there will be electrical
specifications related to switching characteristics or several other specifications.

Then there will be thermal specifications as well like what are the thermal resistances, different
thermal resistances and curves related to that, they will be also provided by the manufacturer.
Then there will be several performance curves, different types of performance curves may be
provided by the manufacturer depending on the device and also depending on the applications
for which the device is designed for.

Then there may be also some test circuits and application circuits and some other information
related to the device that may be provided in the data sheet. And then finally the data sheet will
also provide the packaging information of the device and the mechanical specifications, its
dimensions, that information is also there in the data sheet. So, data sheet is a document, which is
very important for choosing your correct device for your power electronic converter design.

(Refer Slide Time: 3:25)

So, we will be now looking into what are the notations in the data sheets, which are important for
diodes. So, blocking state of the diode, when we discussed vi characteristics, we just said that
there will be a breakdown voltage, after which the diode basically is not able to do the reverse
blocking. So, when you look into the data sheet, there you will not be seeing most of the time
only one breakdown voltage, but several of the voltages associated with the reverse blocking
state of the diode.

Now, what happens is that, what we usually think theoretically is that, that a very nice sinusoid is
what the diode will be withstanding. But in actual practice that may not happen, it may have
some glitches, some surges, some kind of transients that may be occurring in it, it may not be a
very good sinusoid, that the diode has to block. In that case a few of the terms, that can be noted
down are like this voltage, which is like the peak of the sinusoid, the negative peak of the
sinusoid, which the diode is going to block every cycle without any transients or glitches or
surges coming in.

So, that blocking voltage is denoted as VRWM, the maximum working reverse voltage. It is
working reverse voltage, that means this is the working reverse voltage that you expect
theoretically to come out. And then there may be some surges, that may be coming up some
glitches or transients that may be coming up, glitches in the sinusoidal waveforms.

So, those may be repetitive like this you can see here, there may be some power quality issue or
some other problem and you can see repetitively there may be some glitches, that may be coming
out which the diode has to withstand. So, that is VRRM, it is a repetitive voltage, but the diode has
to withstand it for a very, very small duration also. And it may not happen every cycle, some
cycles it may be there after that it may disappear. So, this is called as the maximum repetitive
peak reverse voltage VRRM.

Then there may be surges, which may be peak reverse voltage, which may come once in a while.
So that is VRSM, maximum non-repetitive peak reverse voltage, which the diode will be able to
block. And also, sometimes in datasheet you will see this maximum DC blocking voltage, that
means if you apply continuous DC across this diode, then what is the voltage that the diode will
be able to block?

Now, what is the difference here? If you see when you apply DC, it has to block that
continuously, it is a DC, flat DC, that you are giving continuously it has to block. Whereas, when
you see these sinusoidal voltages, this is something repetitively every cycle the diode will have
to block, it is working voltage or it is the voltage that you expect. And there may be some
repetitive surges or glitches that may be coming, transients which is for a very, very short time
period it has to withstand, that is repetitive peak reverse voltage. And then there may be this kind
of peaks which are non-repetitive.

So, the period for which the diode has to withstand those voltages are also relatively lesser. So,
here this can be the relative magnitudes of these, this is in the reverse blocking state, DC
blocking voltage, this magnitude can be somewhere here, then repetitive peak reverse voltage
can be greater than that and non-repetitive peak reverse voltage can be even higher than that.

And then after that will be breakdown voltage, it is denoted as VB. And there may be a small
leakage current, that may be there through the device while the device is blocking, while the
diode is blocking, that is maximum reverse leakage current IRM, that also is given in the data
sheet many times. Then sometimes in the data sheet, this specification is also given called as
avalanche energy rating.
Now, what happens is that this diode not always, if you exceed the voltage ratings, immediately
it will break down, it may not happen so it can withstand a certain amount of energy, which is
called as avalanche energy. If it is the energy associated at that time and the current through it
during the time is lesser than those avalanche ratings, then the diode may be able to still survive.
So, those avalanche energy ratings are also many times specified in the data sheets.

(Refer Slide Time: 9:49)

Then if we look into the specifications related to conducting state of the diode, first you will be
mostly seeing maximum average forward current. Now, what is the specification there? Let us
say you give these half sin waves to the diode, which the diode has to carry and this is the diode
current iD and if you do the average of this half sin wave, you find out the average, so that is IF(AV)
is what is mentioned in the data sheet.

Now, usually it is provided with respect to a temperature. Case temperature or junction

And then there are also specifications given for RMS forward current. Now, RMS forward
current is usually associated with the thermal or the heating of the diode, so it is mostly physical
limit, what this RMS forward current will be representing. And then if repetitive forward surge
current IFRM, these specifications are also given sometimes in the data sheets.
So, what it means is that, when you have let us say a rectifier application, so there may be these
kinds of transients for few cycles. So, few power frequency cycles, the diode will be carrying
current, which is much higher than normally what it is supposed to carry. Let us say the normally
it is supposed to carry this much of forward current, but when some transient is going to come,
then it has to carry this level of current, for few power frequency cycle, 50 Hz cycles or 60 Hz
cycle, it will have to carry much higher levels of currents.

So, these are repetitive in nature and after that what is expected is that the diode will come back
to its normal state of operation. So, the converter will resume its normal of steady state
operation. So, that specification is given as repetitive forward such current IFRM, because it is
repetitive and it is a surge current, this will be much higher than normal average current rating of
the diode. And the diode does not have to withstand for more duration, it is only for few cycles.

Then there may be situation, where there may be a fault, let us say if a short is happening, so at
that time this duration may be much lesser than the duration of this repetitive surge current. So,
for very small time the diode may be able to withstand even currents higher than this IFRM. So,
that is denoted by this IFSM, non-repetitive forward surge current. And after withstanding this
non-repetitive forward surge current, it is expected that the system is actually going to shut off or
it is going to disconnect it from the supply. So, these are for much shorter duration,
non-repetitive forward surge current.

Then VF, forward voltage, the maximum forward voltage. So, while the device is conducting VF
voltage appears across the diode and that is the maximum forward voltage drop that may be there
and that also is given.
(Refer Slide Time: 14:28)

Then in the data sheet notations related to turn off of the diode are mostly specified. So, trr
reverse recovery time, this we have already seen it. So, trr is reverse recovery time trr, that will be
provided in the data sheet. And then whatever is the charge associated with this region, that is
QRR, the reverse recovery charge, this also we have discussed, when we discussed the switching
characteristics.

So, reverse recovery charge is usually also specified in the data sheets of fast recovery diodes. In
rectifier diodes this may not be specified, because rectifier diodes are slow diodes and these turn
on and turn off times are not of so much importance. Then this current that is associated with the
reverse recovery process, the maximum reverse recovery current IRRM, that also will be specified
in the data sheet.

𝑑𝑣
Then there is 𝑑𝑡
limit, that is the maximum rate of change of voltage across the diode, which the

diode will be able to take or which is allowed, that also is sometimes provided in the data sheet.
𝑑𝑣
Some of the data sheets they give this 𝑑𝑡
limit.

Now, turn on times and forward recovery time, many of the data sheets they do not provide it
usually. And the reason for it is that, we have seen before ton time of diode is smaller than toff
time. So, the switching frequency of the diode is limited by this toff, so fs is limited by toff and so
that is why it is usually the toff time when the reverse recovery time is provided. This QRR and
IRRM, they are more of a concern in many of applications of fast recovery diodes.

(Refer Slide Time: 17:05)

Now, another set of notations, which are given in the data sheets is related to thermal
performance of the diode. So, to understand that you have to know that, usually in a
semiconductor device there is a chip and that is actually the semiconductor device and then it is
put inside a case and then there are usually pins, which bring out those terminals.

So, if we show it like this, this is the chip let us say and then there is this casing, so this is case
and this is chip and then you will have a heat sink. So, this is heat sink, which will be there for
cooling. Now, there will be thermal resistance corresponding to each of these joints. So, there is
this thermal resistance corresponding to our junction to case. So, here what you have is, what is
called as the junction and it is the junction temperature of the semiconductor device which is of a
lot of importance, because if you exceed the junction temperature, then device may get damaged,
it will get destroyed.

So, that is junction temperature TJ, which is provided in the data sheets and there may be a
storage temperature range also that also may be given. And this junction to case thermal
resistance is provided in the data sheet, that is the thermal resistance for the cooling. So, junction
to case there is one thermal resistance. And then case to sink, there is another thermal resistance
and sink to ambient, so this is your ambient. So, it also has a temperature, which you can also
call as the room temperature, but ambient temperature may not be always the room temperature,
it depends on what environment the converter is being operated.

So, the sink to ambient temperature is also there, thermal resistance is also there, sink to ambient
thermal resistance, but that is more when you look into the heat sinks data sheet. So, in the
device data sheet what you see is this case to sink thermal resistance will also be provided. And
maximum power dissipation, that will be also provided. So, what it means is that, so if you have
this diode, so this diode voltage drop is vD and whatever the current flows through it is iD. So,
power dissipation,

𝑃𝐷 = 𝑣𝐷. 𝑖𝐷

And while the device is conducting, there will be conduction losses, because it is going to carry
some huge amount of current and there is a forward voltage drop across it. So, there will be
conduction loss and if you have let us say a fast diode, a fast recovery diode or a Schottky diode,
then during turn on and turn off also there will be losses that will be happening. So, those are the
switching losses.

So, what is the maximum power dissipation, that the diode can withstand, that will be most of the
time provided in the data sheets. And what is the importance of it? Why it is related to thermal
specifications? Because all these losses lead to heating and that heating increases the junction
temperature and you have limits on junction temperature, you have to operate the diode below
the maximum junction temperature for safe operation.
(Refer Slide Time: 21:42)

Then some other notations that are of importance in the data sheet is forward slope resistance,
this we have discussed before when we discussed vi characteristics. So, this shows the vi
characteristics, a typical vi characteristics of a diode and this is given for two different
temperatures 250 C and 1600 C. And so, this is the maximum that you can get and this is the
typical vi curve that you will be getting.

And as I have told you before also, you can approximate it with a line with a slope and whatever
is the slope that is forward slope resistance. So, that also is sometimes provided in the data
sheets. And what is its importance? Why do we need it? So, the forward voltage VF is VF
threshold, you can call it as VF(To) plus whatever the current that the diode is carrying, if we call it
as iD, the diode current multiplied by rt, because what is the forward voltage drop across the
diode, that depends on how much current the diode is carrying.

𝑉𝐹 = 𝑉𝐹(𝑇𝑜) + 𝑖𝐷𝑟𝑡

And there is a maximum forward voltage drop specification that is given in the data sheet. But
when you want to calculate the conduction loss, you want to know what the forward voltage drop
is corresponding to how much current is flowing in diode. So, this can be used for calculation of
the forward voltage drop and then you can also use it for conduction loss calculations.
Then there is another term, which is junction capacitance, this may be specified in some of the
data sheets of diodes. So, this is the structure of the diode and when you apply reverse voltage
across it, let us say, VR is the reverse voltage applied. So, this depletion region, this starts to
increase, its length increases and this n and p, they act as electrodes and then there is a material
over here, which acts as a dielectric material.

So, basically you can observe it like two electrodes with positives and negative voltage, and then
a dielectric medium in between them. So, that is like a formation of a capacitor, so that is
junction capacitance associated with this depletion region.

Now, what is its importance? This we will understand it later on in the course, but know that this
junction capacitance is also specified in the data sheet. Then series inductance as I told you that
there is a chip, then there is a casing and then there are those connectors, through which the legs
come out and finally through which we are going to connect to PCB or bus bar. So, then there is
an inductance, that is associated.

So, what we want to say is that, here is chip of the diode, then there is a case and then there is
this leg and you are actually making the connection over here. So, from this to this over here,
there is some inductance. So, that is the series inductance that also is many times specified in the
data sheets.

And there may be many more other specifications in a data sheet and most of them are self
explanatory. So, you can go through the data sheets and look into it and different terms will be
specified in some you will find some of the notations, in some you will be finding some other
notations. So, it all depends on what type of diode it is and what application for which it is
intended.
(Refer Slide Time: 26:03)

So, what are the key points of this lecture? The key specifications for a diode are forward voltage
drop, the on-state voltage drop of the device, then the blocking voltage of the diode and the
maximum current rating. Now this usually in the data sheets, they will be providing somewhere
close to 250 C and also at higher temperatures. So, that also you should be looking for while
seeing the maximum current rating.

Then if you are choosing a fast recovery diode or a Schottky diode, then you should also look for
reverse recovery time and reverse recovery charge. So, these are the key specifications of a diode
that you should be looking for in the data sheets. Thank you.