3.3kV RC-IGCTs Optimized for Multi-Level Topologies

Abstract:
The Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor (IGCT) is a high power semiconductor device with hard switching turn-off capability and thyristor-like conduction. Hence IGCTs can be optimized for lowest conduction losses. Today however, IGCTs have voltage ratings ranging from 4.5kV up to 6.5kV and are optimized normally for state-of-the-art two to five level inverters, which are usually operating at relatively high switching frequencies. With the recent trend towards employing multi-level topologies in many power electronics applications, efforts are being made to develop devices towards lower conduction losses and lower voltage ratings for operating efficiently at lower switching frequencies with higher power capabilities. Therefore, in this paper, we demonstrate by simulation and experiment the feasibility of designing 3.3kV Reverse Conducting (RC)-IGCTs with very low conduction losses for multi-level topologies.