Title :
Power Semiconductor Devices: For Variable Speed Drives
Author :
Hudgins, Jerry L. ; De Doncker, Rik W.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
Abstract :
Historically, power semiconductor devices have been divided into three broad categories: diodes, transistors, and thyristors. Although modern devices can be classified in this way, there is an increasing overlap in device design and function. Also semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and other materials, as well as novel device designs have increased the suitability and broadened the applications of semiconductor switches in megawatt (MW) power conversion circuits and systems.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; gallium compounds; power convertors; power semiconductor switches; silicon compounds; thyristors; variable speed drives; wide band gap semiconductors; GaN; SiC; device design; power conversion circuits; power semiconductor devices; semiconductor switches; thyristors; variable speed drives; Electric fields; Electrodes; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; Logic gates; Semiconductor devices; Thyristors;
Journal_Title :
Industry Applications Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MIAS.2012.2191341
