IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - June 2015 - 14

IEEE PowEr ElEctronIcs MagazInE

z June 2015

6,500 V

4,500 V

3,300 V

2,500 V

1,200 V
1,700 V

Vce. on (v)

cal discrete MOS-controlled
in 1978. U.S. patent 4,199,774
bipolar transistor switch
was subsequently issued in
C
with the potential for scaling
1980 [4], and a detailed paper
to medium- and high-power
on the experimental results
C
levels. This early success in
was published in February
IGBTs spurred worldwide in1978 at the IEEE InternationG
terest in commercializing the
al Solid-State Circuits Connew high-power solid-state
ference by Scharf and
G
switching technology. HowPlummer [5]. Interestingly,
ever, for IGBT technology
the paper by Scharf and
to be commercially viable,
Plummer also discusses the
E
E
the parasitic thyristor action
nonregenerative MOS-con(a)
(b)
needed to be suppressed, the
trolled bipolar transistor opswitching speed needed to
eration with reference to
be improved, and the devices
measured I-V characteristics fig 3 Two commonly used circuit symbols of an IGBT.
needed to be operational
shown in Figure 3 in this artiat higher junction temperacle. The experimental results
6.0
tures. Many researchers have
were adequately supported
5.5
SPT
made important contribuwith two-dimensional device
5.0
tions in solving these pracsimulations. Figure 11 in
4.5
tical problems, and there
Plummer's 1980 patent also
4.0
are too many to list in this
describes a nonregenerative
3.5
article. Perhaps blanket elecbipolar-mode vertical device
SPT+
3.0
tron irradiation and selecstructure with V-groove MOS
2.5
tive proton implantation are
gate control similar to the
2.0
the two techniques that are
device structure shown in
1.5
responsible for the success
Figure 1(a). U.S. patent B1
0
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000
of today's commercial IGBT
Re33209 was reissued to
Voltage Class (v)
devices in solving these critiPlummer in 1995 for the
cal problems [14]-[19]. At the
IGBT mode of operation in fig 4 Power loss reduction achieved with 6.5-kV/750-A SPT1984 IEEE IEDM, Nakagawa
the four-layer SCR device [6]. IGBT and diode technology (courtesy of A. Kopta, ABB, Badenet al. presented a 1,200-V/75-A
In a 1979 paper [10], Baliga Baden, Switzerland).
nonlatch-up bipolar-mode
presented the experimental
MOSFET with a large safe operating
carriers injected from the anode was
results for vertical enhancement-mode
area at 125 °C, which clearly demondiscussed. The first experimental
MOS-gated silicon thyristor device. In
strated the potential for efficient and
demonstration of a practical discrete
the same paper, Baliga also described
fast medium- and high-power switchvertical IGBT device was reported by
a V-groove MOSFET device with the
ing applications [20].
Baliga et al. [12] in a paper presented
drain region replaced by a p-type anToday, 6.5-kV IGBT power modat the IEEE International Electron
ode region. The detailed modeling and
ules capable of switching in excess of
Devices Meeting (IEDM) held in Deexperimental results of insulated-gate
900 A are commercially manufactured
cember 1982. The paper was titled
planar thyristors were published by
[21]. Figure 4 shows the efficiency per"The Insulated Gate Rectifier (IGR):
Scharf and Plummer in two seminal
formance of various types of IGBT
A New Power Switching Device."
papers in 1980 [7], [8]. In a parallel depower modules based on soft punchWithin a few months of this developvelopment, Tihanyi [9] also experimenthrough (SPT) device technology.
ment, Russell et al. published a paper
tally demonstrated the functional
[13], "The Conductivity-Modulated
integration of power MOS and bipolar
Field-Effect Transistor (COMFET): A
devices; vertical MOSFET-triggered
Summary and Conclusions
New High Conductance MOS-Gated
thyristors, optically coupled lateral
The observations made in this article
Device," which also presented the
thyristors with MOS input, and opticalclearly suggest that, between 1978
experimental data for a practical disly coupled MOS triacs were successand 1982, four separate research
crete vertical IGBT device; this paper
fully implemented in silicon.
groups at Stanford University, GE
was submitted for publication on 8
On 14 December 1982, Becke
Corporate R&D Center, Siemens AG,
December 1982.
and Wheatley received U.S. patent
and RCA Corporation were intensely
The papers by Baliga et al. [12] and
4,364,073, filed on 25 March 1980 [11],
working on the functional integration
Russell et al. [13] perhaps for the first
in which drain region conductivity
of power MOS and bipolar transistor
time provided evidence of a true vertimodulation in a MOSFET by minority
concepts. The basic device concept,

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