Power Diodes

Power diode applications

Automotive (Alternator, ABS, Car Navigation,
Transmissions)
Surge suppression
Reverse current protection
Free wheeling for inductive loads
General rectification
 Power Diode
AUTOMOTIVE, CONSUMER AND INDUSTRIAL Applications
Desired Features
High reliability
High power capability
High frequency
High speed
High operating junction temperature (up to 225C)
Wide range of package types
Axial lead
Surface mount
Glass body
Resin body
Solder
Press fit
P-N Junction Diode

Figure 2.1
4
 Terminal Characteristics of Junction
Diodes

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 Basic Semiconductor Concepts

10/1/17 Power Electronics CID 8859 6

 Constructional Geometry of P-N Diode
P-N junction diode is formed by placing p & n type
semiconductor materials in intimate contact.

Majority carriers from either side will diffuse across the

junction to the opposite side where they are in minority.

Diffusing carriers create a region of ionized atoms at the

immediate vicinity of the metallurgical junction.

This region of immobile ionized atoms is called the Depletion

region (space charge region).

This continues till the resultant potential barrier at the

junction builds up to sufficient level to prevent any further
migration of carriers - thermal equilibrium condition (no more
migration).
 POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
have a pn-junction similar to signal diodes.
have larger power, voltage & current-handling
capabilities than those of ordinary signal level diodes.
Frequency response or switching speed is low compared
with that of signal diodes.
can operate at high junction temperatures.
 Classification
Power diodes are classified according to
Constructional features
Type of material used in doping process
Power ratings
Switching characteristics
Reverse recovery time
Application wise
General purpose power diodes
Fast recovery power diodes
Schottky power diodes
 General Purpose Power diode
Used in low power applications where recovery time (slow
response) is not an issue.
diode rectifiers
converters for a low input frequency up to 1 KHz.
Line commutated converters
Alloyed type rectifier diodes are used in welding power
supplies.
 General Purpose Power diode: Characteristics
On state voltage: very low (below 1V)
Large trr (about 25us) (very slow response)
Very high current ratings (more than 3kA - up to 5kA)
Very high voltage ratings (50V to 5kV)
Used in line-frequency (50/60Hz) applications such as
rectifiers
 Fast Recovery Power Diode
Low recovery time (faster switching) , normally less than
5uS.
Current ratings from 1A to 1000A.
Voltage ratings from 50V to 3kV.
For high rating (more than 400V)
Recovery time is controlled by Platinum or Gold diffusion
For less than 400V ratings, EPITAXIAL diodes provides very
fast recovery time.
Epitaxial diodes have a very narrow base width resulting
in recovery time of about 50nS.
 Fast Recovery Power Diode
In free-wheeling ac-dc and dc-ac
converter circuits.
Use of fast recovery diodes are
preferable for free-wheeling in
SCR circuits because of low
recovery loss, lower junction
temperature and reduced di/dt
These diodes are primarily used
in communication circuits above
1 GHz (high frequency circuits)
 Schottky Power diodes
low forward voltage and a very fast switching action

Reverse recovery time is almost zero

use a MetalSemiconductor junction as Schottky barrier,
instead of a semiconductor junction
majority carrier semiconductor device.
Schottky diodes
 Schottky diodes: Characteristics
Power Schottky diodes are available up to forward
current ratings of 300A.
The main limitation of Schottky diode is their low
reverse voltage (Limited blocking voltage) in order of 30
to 100V.
Power rating are in the range of 100V/300A.
Very low forward voltage drop (barrier potential is of
0.15 to 0.45V) typically 0.3V
Used in low voltage, high current such as switched mode
power supplies.
The operating frequency may be as high 100-300 kHz as
the device is suitable for high frequency application.
Power Semiconductor Diode Summary
 Characteristics of Power Semiconductor Diodes
Power Diodes with largest power rating are required to conduct
several kA in the forward direction with very little power loss while
blocking several kV in the reverse direction.
Large blocking voltage requires wide depletion layer to restrict
electric field strength below the impact ionization level.
For a wide depletion layer, space charge density in the
depletion layer should also be low.
But such a construction, will result in a device with high resistively
in the forward direction.
Consequently, power loss (switching characteristics) at the
required rated current will be unacceptably high.
On the other hand if forward resistance (and hence power loss) is
reduced by increasing the doping level, reverse break down
voltage will reduce.
This apparent contradiction in the requirements of a power diode
is resolved by introducing a lightly doped drift layer of required
thickness between two heavily doped p and n layers.
V & I range of power diodes

http://www.st.com/web/catalog/sense_power/FM64
C / S view of PN junction diode
 structure
Heavily doped n type substrate - cathode
Over n type is lightly doped n- layer
Heavily doped p region anode
C/ S area - depends on I through the device
4 inch max
n- region Drift region not in signal diodes
n- region absorbs depletion layer
wide at large reverse voltages
VI Characteristics
 VI Characteristics
FB :
I grows linearly, not exponentially
Ohmic drops mask exponential VI characteristics
RB :
Small leakage current flows till breakdown is
reached
Reverse I can be limited only by external circuit
Large V & I damage of the device
 Breakdown V Considerations
1. Non Punch through diodes
2. Punch through diodes
 Non Punch through diodes
Length of Drift region > Depletion Layer ->
During Breakdown
Depletion layer has not reached the n+ Layer
 Punch through diodes
Dep. Layer has extended across drift region &
is in contact with n+ Layer Punch through.
After punch through, increase in reverse
voltage will not widen the depletion layer
This is because, doping density of n+ layer is
very high
So, electric field profile flattens.
Punch Through Diode
Punch through Diode
 Inference
Large breakdown voltages require lightly
doped junctions at least on one side

Drift layer of diode must be long in HV devices

to accommodate long depletion layers
Depletion layer boundary Layer Control
 Practical devices junctions have some
degree of curvature
radius of curvature depends on
Size of diffusion mask
Length of diffusion time
Magnitude of diffusion temperature
Curvature is caused because impurities diffuse faster
laterally than they do vertically into the substrate.
 Electric field in the depletion layer is spatially
non uniform.
Magnitude of electric field is largest where
radius of curvature is small.
Leads to smaller break down voltage than
plane parallel junctions of same doping.
So, radius of curvature should be kept as large
as possible.
 Radius of curvature should be 6 or more times
greater than the dep. Layer thickness.
Radius of curvature can be controlled by
Using field plates
Using guard rings
Using Field Plates
 Using Field Plates
Field plates act as equi potential surface.
Electric field lines are redirected to prevent
small radius of curvature.
Costly
Occupies more space
Using Guard Rings
 Using Guard Rings
P type guard rings are allowed to float
electrically
Depletion layer of guard rings merge with
depletion layer of reverse bias pn junction
which prevents small radius of curvature.
Guard rings are electrically floating.
so breakdown will not occur across those
layers.
Fringing Effect
 Fringing Effect
Fringing electric fields at or near the surface
causes
premature breakdown 20 to 30 % reduction in
breakdown V
Interact with surface impurities that may degrade
the performance of the device
They can be overcome by
Suitable modeling
Coating the device with insulation materials
ON State losses
 ON State losses
At large current levels, dissipation of drift region
should be accounted
Losses in drift region limit the power capability of
the device
Resistance of drift region in ON state is much less
than the apparent ohmic value on the basis of
geometric size
Care should be taken in calculating resistance &
power dissipation
 Conductivity modulation
During on state, R of drift region because large
amount of excessive charge carriers are injected
into drift layer
So, resistance of drift layer .(conductivity
modulation)
Low injection level : n- layer neutralizes the holes
High injection level : e- are attracted from n+ region
Double injection
 Conductivity modulation
If diffusion length > Wd , distribution of excess charges
are flat
n- < na (1014 /cm3 ),the condition is called high level
injection
Thus, conductivity of the region is enhanced
Total V = Vj + Vd
Factors affecting Vd are
Excess carrier density
Life time of excess carriers
Mobility of excess carriers
 Impact of On State losses
Low on state loss low power dissipation
Low on state loss due to large stored charge
affects switching time
For large Vbd Vd should be large
Vd Wd 2
Rate of change of current in Diode
Parameters controlling di/dt depends on the
application of the diode

If diode is used in circuits having inductances, rate

of change of I is controlled by value of inductance

If diode is used as FWD then , turn off of a solid

state device controls di/dt
Switching Characteristics I & V waveforms
 Switching Characteristics
Transition time & Shape depends on
Intrinsic properties of diode
Circuit in which diode is connected
In general, switching properties will be given
in data sheet of the device
 Features of switching waveforms

Voltage overshoot during turn on - not

present in signal diodes

Sharpness of fall of reverse current during

turn off
Turn On Growth of Excess charge carriers
Turn on transient

Turn on time = t1 + t2
During turn on,
Space charge stored in depletion region is removed by
the growth of forward current
When depletion layer is completely discharged, junction
becomes forward biased
At t1 , excess carriers are injected into the drift layer
Excess carriers are injected into the junction on
both p+ n- & n- n+ junctions
Turn on transient

Initially, there is no conductivity modulation so

voltage drop is high.
As the forward current grows, due to injection of
large no. of carriers, voltage drops down.
Inductance adds additional V drop if di/dt is high
Vd reduces as drift layer is shorted due to injection
of large amount of carriers
When Vd falls from peak to steady state value, excess
charge distribution in drift layer gets completed
 Turn on transient

Growth of excess charge carriers depends on

Intrinsic properties of diode
External circuit to which it is connected

Faster turn on by reducing life time s

increases on state loss

Switching time : t1 hundreds of ns

t2 - s
Turn Off Decay of excess charge carriers
 Turn off transient

Turn off time : t3 + t4 + t5

Inverse of turn on process
Excess charge stored in junction should be
removed before junction becomes reverse
biased
Charge carriers are removed by
recombination
sweep out by negative diode current
Once depletion layer acquires sufficient space charge from
RB voltage, it expands into depletion layer
Turn off transient

As long as charge carriers are present in the

junctions of drift layer, diode remains in FB
condition
After carrier sweep out proceeds for interval t4
both junctions become RB
At t5, diode current stops growing & becomes
zero
Schottky diode
 Schottky diode - structure
Thin film of metal is placed in direct contact
with semiconductor
Metal film usually deposited on n type
layer
Metal film anode
Semiconductor cathode
VI characteristics of both pn junction diode
& schottky diode are expressed using same
equation
 Schottky diode
Low on state voltage drop 0.3 to 0.4V
Reverse leakage current is larger than pn
junction diode
Break down voltage : 100 200V
Practically cannot be made greater than
200V.
 Principle of operation
e- in different materials have different absolute potential
energy

e- flow in both directions across metal SC interface when

contact is first formed

e- flow from SC to metal is large e- in SC will have high

absolute potential

Absolute Potential Energy: Absolute potential energy is the potential energy

needed to be applied on an object to displace it to such a distance where
gravitational force doesn't work on it.
 Principle of operation
So, metal becomes -vely charged &
SC becomes +vely charged
A depletion layer / electrostatic potential barrier is
formed at the metal SC interface
Magnitude of potential barrier increases & oppose
flow of e- from SC to metal
At this point, thermal equilibrium is established
Then , no net I flows through the interface.
 Majority Carrier Device
In establishing equilibrium, only majority
carriers (e- ) are involved
This is the difference between pn junction
diode & schottky diode
PN junction diode - minority carrier device
Schottky diode - majority carrier devices
 Working
When V is applied across the device :
Metal is made +ve w.r. to semiconductor opposing the built in
potential
Thereby I flow becomes easier
If the metal is biased with ve potential, the with of the
potential barrier increases.
Therefore metal semiconductor interface has rectifying
characteristics similar to pn junction
At any value of forward current, on state voltage drop
0.3 V approx less losses
Schottky diode has low V drop because rev. sat. I is larger
than pn junction diode
 Ohmic Contacts
Metal SC structure forms ohmic contacts
Used in all SC devices
All metals will not have e with lower absolute
potential energy than SC
Ohmic contact contact without rectifying char.
Accumulation of e- in the interface pot. Barrier
Pot. Barrier opposes movement of e- from metal to SC
Accumulation of e- is extremely large & greatly
increase the conductivity of the interface
 Ohmic Contacts
V drop across the interface is proportional to the I
through it

Such junction is called ohmic contact

Here, cathode structure is made as an ohmic contact

E- very easily move across the interface under the

influence of small electric field tunneling
 Breakdown Voltage
Width of drift layer is determined by break down
voltage
BD voltage : < 200V
Reasons for small BD voltage :
Basic geometry extremely small radius of curvature
at the edges of contact metal electric field
crowding low breakdown voltage
Lower breakdown field strength of silicon at the surface
Lack of stored minority carriers
 ON state losses

On state losses are reduced by increasing the

doping density to 1014 / cm3
 Switching characteristics
Rapid than pn junction diode no stored
minority carriers

During turn off no need to remove stored

energy no reverse recovery charge

Reverse bias : reverse I is large compared to pn

junction diode
Applications
 EMI
Due to rapid changes in V & I , power electronic
equipment generate EMI
EMI is transmitted in 2 forms : 1. Radiated
2. Conducted
Converters generate conducted noise into the power
lines
Conducted noise is several times greater than radiated
noise
Power converters are housed in metal cabinets to
reduce EMI radiations
 Conducted Noise
2 categories :
Differential mode
Common mode
Differential mode noise : I or V measured between
lines of source
Common mode noise : I or V measured between
power lines and ground
Both noises are present in i/p & o/p lines
Filter design should take care of both noises
 Generation of EMI
Due to short rise & fall time in switching
waveforms in converters, they contain large
harmonics in RF region
Transmission of
differential mode noise through input line to
the utility system
Common mode noise through parasitic & stray
capacitance
Noise on the ground line have significant EMI
 EMI Standards
CISPR, IEC,VDE, FCC, military standards specify
max. limit of conducted EMI

Conducted noise is measured by LISN ( Line

Impedance Stabilization Network)
 Reduction of EMI
Preventing EMI generation at source cost effective
Also, converter will not be susceptible to its own noise
Snubber circuits to reduce EMI
Magnitude of coupling fields should be reduced
proper wiring, shielding & layout
To reduce magnetic fields, net area enclosed by the
current loop should be minimized
To reduce stray capacitance, exposed metal at the
switching potential should be reduced.
 Reduction of EMI

Additional EMI filters can also be used

Extra measures should be taken if power
electronic equipment is operated near
sensitive communication or medical
equipments
SOA