Silicon power rectifiers

The silicon rectifier is now well established over a wide range of voltages and currents, and, in all probability, will remain as a standard class for many years to come. The paper opens with a brief survey of the processes involved in the preparation of single-crystal silicon; this is followed by sections devoted to design considerations and process techniques used in the preparation of silicon rectifier cells. The electrical characteristics and ratings of rectifier cells, and the considerations involved in their operation in rectifying equipments, are discussed in some detail; brief mention is made of the various fields of application in which silicon rectifiers will offer advantage. The latest device of this class¿the silicon controlled rectifier¿is described, and its importance in the future is emphasized. Several theoretical aspects of the forward and reverse characteristics of silicon rectifier cells are treated in the Appendices.