Professional Documents
Culture Documents
by P. Fichera
This paper looks at the influence of the In terms of input signal, the transistor base-
drive circuit on the switching behaviour of emitter junction can be schematically
electronic devices belonging to different represented by a variable resistance rbb
families. In particular Bipolar Junction and a voltage source. When the base-
Transistors (BJT) are considered as a emitter junction is cut-off the rbb value is
representative of current driven devices, relatively high. When carrier injection
and Power MOSFETs and IGBTs as begins, rbb is modulated and its value
representatives of voltage driven devices. decreases in a time which is of the order of
the carrier lifetime (a few tenths of a
nanosecond). If the transistor is driven from
1. BJT
a current source, the rate of rise of the
In order to switch a BJT quickly and with base current is imposed by the driver stage
low switching losses, minority carriers must and the initial high value of rbb does not
be injected into and extracted from the influence the rate of rise of the collector
base of the transistor very rapidly. current (see fig. 1).
AN509/1293 1/11
APPLICATION NOTE
Figure 1: Rate of rise of positive base current when the driver circuit acts as:
a) a voltage source
b) a courrent source
2/11
APPLICATION NOTE
1.2 On-state
Once the transistor is turned on, the driver Over-saturation can be avoided if the drive
stage has to provide a positive base current is able to supply a base current proportional
in such a way as to prevent the device to the collector current in such a way as to
entering an over-saturated state. This state keep the ratio of I C/IB constant; however
corresponds to very low V CE(sat) (low this requires a complex driver. The use of
conduction losses), but the collector region an anti-saturation network can avoid the
is fully saturated by the minority carriers collector-emitter voltage falling below than
injected from the base. Consequently the 0.6-0.7 Volts, and hence can keep the
advantage of the low voltage drop is offset transistor operating point outside the deeply
by a longer turn-off switching time. saturated region; see fig. 2.
3/11
APPLICATION NOTE
1.3 Turn-Off Switching Figure 4: Storage time VS. conduction time for
BUF410 transistor
The transistor behaviour during this phase
essentially depends upon the following
parameters:
4/11
APPLICATION NOTE
Figure 6: Limitation of the negative base current due to the base resistance r bb
VB off
VB off - V BE
- I B = _________
Z + r bb
For example a high voltage ETD transistor If an negative base-emitter voltage of 2.5
such as the BUF410 can be turned off with a Volts is applied, the fall time is reduced to
base-emitter resistance in the order of 0.3 less than 50ns, see oscillogram 2.
Ohms. In this condition oscillogram 1 shows a
fall time tf<100ns. (Ic=8A,Tj=100°C).
5/11
APPLICATION NOTE
The dI/dt can be controlled by controlling The circuit can be implemented simply by a
the rate of increase of the gate voltage. gate resistor RG(on) as shown in fig. 8.
6/11
APPLICATION NOTE
Fig. 9 shows the curves of dI/dt as a function of the gate resistor RG(on) for a 500 Volt,
20 Amp IGBT.
Figure 9: dl/dt at turn - on V s RG(on) for the 500V - 20A IGBT (STGH20N50)
R G(on)
SC
7/11
APPLICATION NOTE
Figure 11: Principle of drive stage controlling dl/dt and short circuit current amplitude
The energy the device dissipates in this the drive to turn off the devices. A reduction
condition can be very high and destruction of the gate-source/emitter voltage leads to
of the device can occur in a few a reduction in the short circuit current Isc
microseconds if no protection is activated. which in turn leads to a lower power
All protection circuits have a feedback loop dissipation and hence to a longer time
to inform the drive of the abnormal before destruction. The simple circuit of
condition; however it can take too long for fig. 12 will carry out this function.
8/11
APPLICATION NOTE
9/11
APPLICATION NOTE
2.2 On State dV/dt the lower the turn off losses, as can
be observed by the sequence of
Gate drive does not influence the on state
oscillograms 3 through 5 for a 1000 Volt
and consequently has no effect on the
IGBT turn off. The gate resistance is varied
conduction losses.
between 100 Ohms and 10 Ohms. In
particular, an IGBT device shows the
2.3 Turn-Off Switching
current tail phenomenon. The sequence of
If the drive circuit is able to control the oscillogram shows how the gate drive
rate of change of the gate-source/emitter cannot attenuate the tail effect and associated
voltage at turn off, then the dV/dt of the losses. This is because once the MOSFET
collector voltage can also be controlled. section of the IGBT has turned off, the bipolar
Once again the control can be performed part remains open base and the base
by a gate resistor R G(off) as shown in extraction current mechanism cannot work,
fig. 12. The higher the intrinsic value of as shown in fig. 13.
10/11
APPLICATION NOTE
Figure 14: IGBT reconduction can happen at off - state due to the static dV/dt
Information furnished is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, STMicroelectronics assumes no responsibility for the consequences
of use of such information nor for any infringement of patents or other rights of third parties which may result from its use. No license is
granted by implication or otherwise under any patent or patent rights of STMicroelectronics. Specification mentioned in this publication are
subject to change without notice. This publication supersedes and replaces all information previously supplied. STMicroelectronics products
are not authorized for use as critical components in life support devices or systems without express written approval of STMicroelectronics.
Australia - Brazil - China - Finland - France - Germany - Hong Kong - India - Italy - Japan - Malaysia - Malta - Morocco -
Singapore - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom - U.S.A.
http://www.st.com
11/11