Abstract
The basic structure and operation of the thyristor are discussed in this chapter. The thyristor contains two coupled bipolar transistors that provide an internal positive feedback mechanism that allows the device to sustain itself in the on-state. This regenerative action produces low on-state voltage drop, while the device is carrying large on-state currents. However, the internal feedback mechanism makes it difficult to turn-off the structure by external means unless the voltage across the device is reversed. In order to enable operation are elevated temperatures, it is necessary to short-circuit the emitter and base regions of the thyristor. The impact of this on the gate control current and switching behavior is analyzed in the chapter. Analytical models are developed for all the operating modes, including the switching transient for the gate turn-off (GTO) thyristor.
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Baliga, B.J. (2019). Thyristors. In: Fundamentals of Power Semiconductor Devices. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93988-9_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93988-9_8
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