On Switching Inductive Loads with Power Transistors

Any switch handling inductive loads must, at some time or another, dissipate the energy stored in the inductance. In the case of a knife switch, this energy can be both seen and heard as an electric spark. In the case of a transistor, this energy is dissipated as heat and the resultant junction temperature rise can lead to catastrophic failure within the device.¹The failure mechanism is referred to as ``reverse-biased second breakdown´´, hereinafter termed RBSB.