TY - JOUR
T1 - Analytical Model for the Destruction Mechanism of GTO-Like Devices by Avalanche Injection
AU - Wachutka, Gerhard K.
PY - 1991/6
Y1 - 1991/6
N2 - The turn-off capability of power devices based on the gate turn-off (GTO) principle is basically limited by avalanche injection. This fundamental phenomenon causes the device to run into a critical state where both voltage and current are pinned at a high level and, moreover, the current is inhomogeneously carried by filaments which freely travel around the device, until ultimately thermal destruction occurs. For this mechanism, an analytical model has been developed from very basic principles, which couples charge carrier transport via drift and diffusion with thermal conduction. It gives insight into the details of the failure and destruction mechanism and, among others, is useful for estimating the safe operating area (SOA) of GTO-like devices.
AB - The turn-off capability of power devices based on the gate turn-off (GTO) principle is basically limited by avalanche injection. This fundamental phenomenon causes the device to run into a critical state where both voltage and current are pinned at a high level and, moreover, the current is inhomogeneously carried by filaments which freely travel around the device, until ultimately thermal destruction occurs. For this mechanism, an analytical model has been developed from very basic principles, which couples charge carrier transport via drift and diffusion with thermal conduction. It gives insight into the details of the failure and destruction mechanism and, among others, is useful for estimating the safe operating area (SOA) of GTO-like devices.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026168678&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/16.81648
DO - 10.1109/16.81648
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0026168678
SN - 0018-9383
VL - 38
SP - 1516
EP - 1523
JO - IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
JF - IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
IS - 6
ER -