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Control Method for a Reverse Conducting IGBT

Combining IGBT and diode functionality into one piece of silicon, a reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT) is created. This measure allows equipping a standard IGBT/diode-module with Only one piece of chip by replacing IGBT and diode with the new RC-IGBT. The result is an enhanced current carrying capability without increasing the foot print of the module. As a result of the integration, the diode's electrical performance can be influenced by the control State of the IGBT gate. In order to control the RC-IGBT system in a loss optimized manner, Special control aspects need to be considered. Reverse conducting IGBT's can be built by partially interrupting the p-doped collector area by n-doped regions. Doing so, on the one hand, the diode functionality is given, on the other hand, there is enough area for the IGBT to inject minority carriers into the drift region for low forward voltage Vce(sat). With such an approach, diode functionality becomes dependent from the state of the gate control. Such a device, designed for hard switching applications, is called Reverse Conducting IGBT with Diode Control (RCDC-IGBT).

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• Nov 04, 2015