In parallel with the study of the properties of semiconductors, there was also an improvement in the technology of manufacturing devices based on them. Gradually, more and more new elements appeared, with good performance characteristics. The first IGBT transistor appeared in 1985 and combined the unique properties of bipolar and field structures. As it turned out, these two types of semiconductor devices known at that time could well “get along” together. It was they who formed a structure that became innovative and gradually gained immense popularity among the developers of electronic circuits. The abbreviation IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) itself refers to the creation of a hybrid circuit based on bipolar and field-effect transistors. At the same time, the ability to work with high currents in power circuits of one structure was combined with a high input resistance of another.
The modern IGBT is different from its predecessor. The fact is that the technology of their production has been gradually improved. Since the appearance of the first element with suchstructure, its main parameters have changed for the better:
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igbt transistor The switching voltage has increased from 1000V to 4500V. This made it possible to use power modules when working in high voltage circuits. Discrete elements and modules have become more reliable in working with inductance in the power circuit and more protected from impulse noise.
- The switching current for discrete elements has grown to 600A in discrete and up to 1800A in modular design. This made it possible to switch high power current circuits and use the IGBT transistor to work with motors, heaters, various industrial applications, etc.
- Direct on-state voltage drop dropped to 1V. This made it possible to reduce the area of heat-removing radiators and at the same time reduce the risk of failure from thermal breakdown.
- The switching frequency in modern devices reaches 75 Hz, which allows them to be used in innovative electric drive control schemes. In particular, they are successfully used in frequency converters. Such devices are equipped with a PWM controller, which works in conjunction with a module, the main element in which is an IGBT transistor. Frequency converters are gradually replacing traditional electric drive control schemes.
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igbt transistor control The performance of the device has also increased greatly. Modern IGBT transistors have di/dt=200µs. This refers to the time spent onenable/disable. Compared to the first samples, the performance has increased five times. Increasing this parameter affects the possible switching frequency, which is important when working with devices that implement the principle of PWM control.
The electronic circuits that controlled the IGBT transistor were also improved. The main requirements that were placed on them were to ensure safe and reliable switching of the device. They must take into account all the weaknesses of the transistor, in particular, its "fear" of overvoltage and static electricity.
