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Power Electronics.: Semi-Conductor Devices

The document discusses Gate Turn-Off (GTO) thyristors, highlighting their ability to be turned ON and OFF via gate signals, unlike traditional thyristors which require a commutation circuit. It details the construction and operational characteristics of GTOs, including their advantages in high power applications and various types available in the market. GTOs are primarily used in applications such as choppers, inverters, and AC/DC drives due to their superior switching capabilities and maintenance-free operation.

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27 views15 pages

Power Electronics.: Semi-Conductor Devices

The document discusses Gate Turn-Off (GTO) thyristors, highlighting their ability to be turned ON and OFF via gate signals, unlike traditional thyristors which require a commutation circuit. It details the construction and operational characteristics of GTOs, including their advantages in high power applications and various types available in the market. GTOs are primarily used in applications such as choppers, inverters, and AC/DC drives due to their superior switching capabilities and maintenance-free operation.

Uploaded by

JAMES
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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POWER

ELECTRONICS.
Semi-conductor Devices.
Introduction.
Although the thyristor is extensively used in high power applications, it always
suffered from being a semi-controlled device. Even though it could be switched ON
by applying a gate signal, it has to be turned OFF by interrupting the main current
using a commutation circuit.
GTO is a three terminal, bipolar (current controlled minority carrier) semiconductor
switching device.
The gate is used not only to turn ON the main current with a gate drive circuit, but
also to turn it OFF. A small positive gate current triggers the GTO into conduction
mode and also by a negative pulse on the gate, it is capable of being turned off.
The gate current required to turn off the GTO is relatively high. For example, a
GTO rated with 4000V and 3000A may need -750A gate current to switch it off.
Due to this large negative current, GTOs are used in low power applications.
On the other hand, during the conduction state GTO behaves just like a thyristor
with a small ON state voltage drop. The GTO has faster switching speed than the
thyristor and has higher voltage and current ratings than the power transistors.
• Several varieties of GTOs are available in today’s market with asymmetric and
symmetric voltage capabilities. GTOs with identical forward and reverse blocking
capabilities are called as symmetric GTOs (S-GTOs). These are used in current source
inverters, but these are somewhat slower. Mostly asymmetric GTOs (A-GTOs) are used
due to its lower ON state voltage drop and stable temperature characteristics.

• These asymmetrical GTOs have an appreciable reverse voltage capability (typically 20


to 25 V). These are used where either the reverse voltage across it would never occur
or a reverse conducting diode is connected across the circuit. This article describes
only about asymmetric GTOs.
The basic structure of GTO
Construction
• The n+ layer at the cathode end is highly doped to obtain high emitter efficiency. This result the breakdown voltage of the
junction J3 is low which is typically in the range of 20 to 40 volts.
• The doping level of the p type gate is highly graded because the doping level should be low to maintain high emitter efficiency,
whereas for having a good turn OFF properties, doping of this region should be high.
• In addition, gate and cathodes should be highly interdigited with various geometric forms to optimize
the current turn-off capability.
• The junction between the P+ anode and N base is called anode junction. A heavily doped P+ anode region is required to obtain
the higher efficiency anode junction so that a good turn ON properties is achieved. However, the turn OFF capabilities are
affected with such GTOs.
• This problem can be solved by introducing heavily doped N+ layers at regular intervals in P+ anode layer as shown in figure. So
this N+ layer makes a direct contact with N layer at junction J1. This cause the electrons to travel from base N region directly to
anode metal contact without causing hole injection from P+ anode. This is called as a anode shorted GTO structure.
• Due to these anode shorts, the reverse blocking capacity of the GTO is reduced to the reverse breakdown voltage of junction j3
and hence speeds up the turn OFF mechanism.
• However, with a large number of anode shorts, the efficiency of the anode junction reduces and hence the turn ON
performance of the GTO degrades. Therefore, careful considerations have to be taken about the density of these anode shorts
for a good turn ON and OFF performance.
Gate Turn-Off Thyristor Applications
• Due to the advantages like excellent switching characteristics, no
need of commutation circuit, maintenance-free operation, etc
makes the GTO usage predominant over thyristor in many
applications. It is used as a main control device in choppers and
inverters. Some of these applications are
• AC drives
• DC drives or DC choppers
• AC stabilizing power supplies
• DC circuit breakers
• Induction heating
• And other low power applications

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