A snubber design tool for p-n junction reverse recovery using a more accurate simulation of the reverse recovery waveform

Author

Carroll, Eric I. ; Chokhawala, Rahul S.

Author_Institution

Int. Rectifier Corp., Epinay sur Orge, France

fYear

1989

fDate

1-5 Oct. 1989

Firstpage

1307

Abstract

A computer simulation of the reverse-recovery current waveform of a p-n junction undergoing forced commutation is presented. It is found that a far better simulation is obtained by using the sech function to model the recovery current than by using the common exponential function. Published maximum values of recovery current, recovery time, and snap factor can be used to determine the constants of the sech function. The proposed model and predicted junction response are compared with laboratory measurements of devices of various technologies. The application of the simulation to free-wheel diodes and GTO (gate-turn-off) snubber diodes is illustrated.<>

Keywords

digital simulation; electronic engineering computing; overvoltage protection; p-n junctions; semiconductor diodes; GTO; computer simulation; forced commutation; free-wheel diodes; gate-turn-off; p-n junction reverse recovery; sech function; snap factor; snubber design tool; snubber diodes; Computational modeling; Computer simulation; Current measurement; Equivalent circuits; P-n junctions; Rectifiers; Semiconductor device manufacture; Semiconductor diodes; Snubbers; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, 1989., Conference Record of the 1989 IEEE

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA, USA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IAS.1989.96813

Filename

96813