Power Diodes

Chapter No. 2
 Power Diode
• Role in Power Electronics
• Uncontrolled Rectifiers
– AC to fixed DC voltages
• Freewheeling Diode
– To provide a path for the current in inductive loads

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 The PN junction Diode
• Power diodes- Silicon/Germanium
• Silicon diodes
– Operate at higher currents
– Higher junction temperature
– Greater reverse resistance
• Forward bias
• Reverse bias

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Zero Bias Condition

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Forward Biased

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Reverse Biased

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VI characteristics of Diode

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 Schottky Diode
• Low-voltage, high speed device
• A thin metal is interfaced with N-type
semiconductor
• Metal- chromium, platinum, or tungsten
• Low on state voltage
• Turn off much faster
• Higher reverse leakage current
• Reverse breakdown voltage is lower
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 Comparison

Important:
Schottky diodes do not have a recovery time,
as there is nothing to recover from
(i.e. no charge carrier depletion region at the junction).

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 Example
• A Schottky diode rated at 40V and 25A has an
on-state voltage of 0.5V and a reverse leakage
current of 50nA. Find the on-state and off-
state power loss at rated conditions.
• On-state power loss = ID * Von = 12.5W
• Off-state power loss = Ileakage * Vs = 2μW

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 Example
• Find power losses for a PN junction diode
rated at 40V and 25A, with an on-state voltage
of 1.1V and a reverse leakage current of
0.5nA.
• On-state power loss = ID * VD(on) = 27.5W
• Off-state power loss = Ileakage * Vs = 0.02μW
• (The on-state power loss of Schottky diode is
less than half that of a PN junction diode)

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 Diode Rating
• Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV, PRV, V(BR))
– Maximum reverse voltage that can be connected across diode without
breakdown
– Ranges from tens of volts to several thousands
• Maximum Average Forward Current (If(avg)max)
– Ratings from few amperes to several hundred amperes
• Maximum Junction Temperature (Tj(max))
– Max temperature diode can withstand without failure
– -40oC to +200oC
• Maximum Surge Current (IFSM)
– Max current diode can handle as an occasional transient or from a circuit
fault

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 Reverse Recovery Time (trr)
• No instantaneous switching
(on → off)
• Reverse current flows
• Time during which reverse
current flows is reverse
recovery time
• Charge carriers are removed
• Fast recovery, slow recovery
• Few microseconds to several
hundred nanoseconds

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 Diode Protection
• Overvoltage
– If reverse voltage exceeds breakover voltage,
diode breaks down
– Large current, power dissipation …. Destroy diode
– PIV rating is 1.2 times higher than normal rating
• Overcurrent
– Current rating based on max junction temperature
produced by junction losses
– Fuse to ensure current protection
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 Diode Protection
• Transients
– Leads to higher-than-normal voltages across diode
– Snubber circuits for protection
– RC series circuit
– Snubs the rate of change of voltage

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 Testing a Diode
• Ohmmeter
• Forward biased: low resistance
• Reverse biased: high resistance
• Open diode
• Shorted diode

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Series and Parallel Operation of Diodes

• Maximum power diode can handle:

– Rated Reverse Voltage
– Rated Forward Current
• Diode with insufficient power handling
capability
– Connected in series to increase voltage rating
– Connected in parallel to increase current rating

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 Series Connection of Diodes
• In high-voltage application:
– Insufficient reverse voltage rating
• Series connection of two or diodes to increase
voltage rating
• Problem: Reverse voltage may not be equally
divided
– Diode with lower Ileak can have excessive reverse
voltage

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Series Connection of Diode

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 Forced Voltage Sharing
• Voltage-sharing resistors
• Resistors must conduct greater current than
leakage current of diodes
• Resistors will consume power during reverse-
bias
• It is important to use high value resistors

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 Protection against Voltage Transient

• There can be excessive reverse voltage due to

different reverse recovery times
• A capacitor connected in parallel with each
diode will protect the diode from voltage
transients

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Forced Voltage Sharing

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 Voltage-Sharing Resistor

VD1 VD 2
Is = + I D1 = + I D2
R R

VD1 - VD 2
R=
I D 2 - I D1

PR = I 2
R1 *R + I 2
R2 *R

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 Example
• Two diodes with voltage ratings
of 800V and reverse leakage
currents of 1mA are connected
in series across an AC source
whose peak value is Vs(max)= 980V.
The reverse characteristics are
shown in the figure. Determine:
– Reverse voltage across each diode
– The value of the voltage-sharing
resistor, so that the voltage across
any diode is no more than 55% of
Vs(max)
– Total source current and power loss
in resistors

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 Parallel Connections of Diodes
• Load current is greater than current rating of
single diode
• Diodes can be connected in parallel
– To achieve higher forward current rating
• Diodes do not share current equally
– Due to difference in forward-bias characteristics
• Diode with lowest forward voltage drop will
try to carry larger current and overheat

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Parallel Connection of Diodes

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 Forced Current Sharing
• By connecting a very small resistance in series
with each diode
• Current-sharing resistor establishes values of ID1
and ID2 nearly equal
• Drawbacks:
– Power loss in the resistors in very high
– An increase in voltage across the combination
• Unless absolutely necessary parallel arrangement
must be avoided
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Current-Sharing Resistor

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 Current-Sharing Resistor

V = VD1 + I D1 * R = VD 2 + I D 2 * R

VD 2 - VD1
R=
I D1 - I D 2

PR = I 2
D1 *R + I 2
D2 *R

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 Example
• Two diodes having the
characteristics as shown in the
figure are connected in parallel.
The total current through
diodes is 50A. Determine:
• The resistance of current-
sharing resistor, so that the
current through any diode is no
more than 55% of I
• Total power loss in the resistors
• Voltage drop across the diode
combination (V)

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 Diode Circuit Analysis
• Diodes in DC circuit
– State of diode must be found (on or off)
– Diode is replaced by switch-equivalent circuit
– Helpful to replace diode mentally with a resistive
element and note resulting current direction

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 Diode Circuit Analysis
• Diodes in AC circuits
– Voltage varies
– Circuit analysis can be done separately for positive
and negative half-cycles
– Diodes can be replaced with switch-equivalent
circuits accordingly

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 Diode Losses
• PT= PON + POFF + PSW
• POFF = VR * IR * t(OFF )
t
• PON = VF* IF * d
1
• PSW = *VR (max) * I F (max) *[tF (ON ) + tR (OFF ) ]* f
6

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