Comparative analysis of power bipolar devices

A comparison between bipolar Darlington, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), bipolar mode field effect transistor (BMFET), and power MOS devices is presented based on an experimental investigation performed on devices with similar geometrical characteristics and blocking voltage capabilities. The main device characteristics (conduction characteristics, switching performances, power dissipation, power ratings, etc.) are presented and compared in order to obtain comprehensive guidelines for finding their fields of application. It is shown that, for higher frequency switching application, MOS devices are the most suitable, but they are very expensive in terms of silicon area used. For frequencies less than 20 kHZ, BMFETs have better performance than IGBTs in terms of power losses. On the other hand, the IGBT is a voltage-controlled device and thus has fewer problems with its driving circuit.<>