IGBT Ratings and Characteristics

Absolute Maximum Ratings

The absolute maximum ratings are defined as the allowable limits that should not be exceeded, even instantaneously. If one or more of these values are exceeded, the semiconductor device will break. Therefore, it is required to design electronic devices that use semiconductors so that the stress exceeding the values is not applied to semiconductors even instantaneously.
Absolute maximum ratings do not guarantee reliability. Even within the absolute maximum ratings, if the recommended conditions are exceeded, their durability decreases and as a result, semiconductors may not withstand long-term use.
Typical characteristics of the absolute maximum ratings listed in the IGBT data sheet are shown below. The parameters of absolute maximum ratings listed depend on the type of IGBTs.

Parameter Symbol Description
Collector-to-Emitter Voltage VCE Maximum voltage that can be applied between collector and emitter
Gate-to-Emitter Voltage VGE Maximum voltage that can be applied between gate and emitter
Collector Current (DC) IC Maximum current that can flow continuously in the collector pin
Collector Current (pulse) IC(PULSE) Maximum current that can flow in the collector pin for a short time
Diode Forward Current (DC) * IF Maximum current that can flow continuously in the fast recovery diode
Diode Forward Current (pulse) * IF(PULSE) Maximum current that can flow through the fast recover diode for a short time
Short Circuit Withstand Time tSC Maximum time the IGBT can withstand a short circuit
Power Dissipation PD Allowable maximum power dissipation
Operating Junction Temperature TJ Allowable maximum temperature in the semiconductor junction in the product
Storage Temperature TSTG Temperature range at which the product can be stored when the device is not operating
* Only for products with a built-in fast recovery diode (FRD)

Electrical Characteristics

Electrical characteristics show the performance of a product by specifying conditions such as temperature, voltage, and current.
The following are typical parameters of electrical characteristics described in the data sheet. The parameters of electrical characteristics to be listed depend on the type of IGBTs.

Parameter Symbol Description Remarks
Collector-to-Emitter Breakdown Voltage V(BR)CES Breakdown voltage between collector and emitter
Collector-to-Emitter Leakage Current ICES Collector leakage current when the gate voltage is 0 V
Gate-to-Emitter Leakage Current IGES Gate leakage current when the gate voltage is under the specified conditions
Gate Threshold Voltage VGS(TH) The gate voltage when the IGBT turns on and the collector current starts to flow
Collector-to-Emitter Saturation Voltage VCE(SAT) Collector-emitter voltage when the collector current reaches the specified value with the gate voltage set under the specified conditions.
Input Capacitance Cies Sum of gate-to-collector capacitance and gate-to-emitter capacitance See
Output Capacitance Coes Sum of gate-to-collector capacitance and collector-to-emitter capacitance
Reverse Transfer Capacitance Cres Capacitance between gate and collector
Total Gate Charge QG Total charge that the gate voltage increases to the specified voltage from 0 V See
Turn-on Delay Time td(ON) Delay time until the IGBT turns on See
Turn-on Rise Time tr Rise time until the IGBT turns on
Turn-off Delay Time td(OFF) Delay time until the IGBT turns off
Turn-off Fall Time tf Fall time until the IGBT turns off
Turn-on Energy EON Switching loss at the IGBT turns on
Turn-off Energy EOFF Switching loss at the IGBT turns off
Emitter-to-Collector
Diode Forward Voltage*
VF Voltage drop when forward current flows through the diode
Emitter-to-Collector
Diode Reverse Recovery Time*
trr Time from when the recovery current flows through the diode to when the recovery current recovers to 90% of the peak value
* Only for products with a built-in fast recovery diode (FRD)

Thermal Characteristics

The following are typical parameters of thermal characteristics described in the data sheet. The parameters of thermal characteristics to be listed depend on the type of IGBTs.

Parameter Symbol Description
IGBT Thermal Resistance RθJC(IGBT) Thermal resistance between semiconductor junction and case
Diode Thermal Resistance * RθJC(Di) Thermal resistance between semiconductor junction and case
* Only for products with a built-in fast recovery diode (FRD)

Static Characteristics

This section describes the typical static characteristics of IGBTs.

IC-VCE Characteristics

The following figure shows an example of characteristics of the collector current, IC, and the collector-emitter voltage, VCE, at each gate voltage, VGE. IC-VCE characteristics are also called the output characteristics. Due to the structure of IGBTs, a PN junction is generated between the collector and emitter. When the junction potential of the PN junction (VCE = 1.5 V in this characteristic example) is exceeded, the IC starts to flow. The higher the VGE, the lower the VCE when the specified IC is flowing. To reduce conduction loss (IC×VCE), set the IGBT in a region where VCE(SAT) changes are small (generally gate voltage is about 15 V).

IC-VGE Characteristics

The following figure shows an example of characteristics of the collector current, IC, and the gate-to-emitter voltage, VGE.
In this characteristic example, in the region of VGE < 10 V, the higher the junction temperature, TJ, the lower the VGE when the specified IC is flowing (negative temperature coefficient). Conversely, in the region of VGE ≥ 10 V, the higher the junction temperature, TJ, the higher the VGE when the specified IC is flowing (positive temperature coefficient). To prevent the permanent damage due to heat generation, it is recommended to use the IGBT in the region of positive temperature coefficient.

VGE(TH)-TJ Characteristics

The following figure shows an example of characteristics of the gate threshold voltage, VGE(TH), and the junction temperature, TJ.
The higher the TJ, the lower the VGE(TH) (negative temperature coefficient). When the circuit operates and the IGBT temperature becomes high, the IGBT turns on at a low gate voltage. Therefore, changes in VGE(TH) due to temperature characteristics must be taken into account in designing the circuit in order to avoid malfunction due to noise.

Capacitance Characteristics (Cies, Coes, Cres)

As shown in the following figure, due to the structure of IGBTs, parasitic capacitances (CGC, CGE, CCE) are generated. These parasitic capacitances affect the switching characteristics.

Input Capacitance, Cies

Input capacitance, Cies, affects the delay time. The larger the Cies, the longer the turn-on delay time, td(ON), and the turn-off delay time, td(OFF), because a large amount of charge must be charged/discharged at the IGBT turning on/off. In addition, the larger the Cies, the larger the power loss. Therefore, the IGBT with small Cies is ideal.
Cies is calculated by the following equation.

Cies = CGE + CGC

Output Capacitance, Coes

The output capacitance, Coes, affects the turn-off characteristics. When the Coes is large, the voltage change rate, dv/dt, of the collector-to-emitter voltage, VCE, is reduced at the IGBT turn-off, resulting in reducing the influence of noise but increasing the turn-off fall time, tf.
Coes is calculated by the following equation.

Coes = CCE + CGC

Reverse Transfer Capacitance, Cres

Reverse transfer capacitance, Cres, is also called mirror capacitance.
Cres affects the high frequency characteristics. The larger the Cres, the more the following characteristics appear.

  • The fall time of collector-to-emitter voltage, VCE, at turn-on is long
    (The turn-on rise time, tr is long)
  • The rise time of collector-to-emitter voltage, VCE, at turn-off is long
    (The turn-off fall time, tf, is long)
  • Reverse transfer capacitance, Cres, is calculated by the following equation.
Cres = CGC

Charge Characteristics (QG, QGE, QGC)

Total gate charge, QG, gate-to-emitter charge, QGE, and gate-to-collector charge, QGC, are the charges required to drive the IGBT. These affect the switching characteristics. The smaller the value, the smaller the power loss, and the fast switching is achieved.

Switching Characteristics (td(ON), tr, td(OFF), tf)

The following figure shows the measurement circuit of switching time.

The following figure shows the switching waveforms.

Turn-on Delay Time, td(ON)

Time from 10% of the VGE setting value to 10% of the IC setting value

Turn-on Rise Time,tr

Time from 10% to 90% of the IC setting value

Turn-on Time, tON

The total time of td(ON) and tr

Turn-off Time, td(OFF)

Time from 90% of the VGE setting value to 90% of the IC setting value

Turn-off Fall Time,tf

Time from 90% to 10% of the IC setting value

Turn-off Time, tOFF

The total time of td(OFF) and tf

Short-circuit Characteristics

Short-circuit current, ISC, is the current that flows when an IGBT is shorted. The higher the gate-to-emitter voltage, VGE, the higher the short-circuit current, ISC, thus causing the short circuit withstand time, tSC, to be decreased. The higher the junction temperature, TJ, the lower the tSC.

Fast Recovery Diode

Unlike power MOSFETs, IGBTs do not have body diodes. When using an IGBT to control an inductive load such as a motor, using a product that combines an IGBT and a fast recovery diode (FRD) in one package reduces the number of external components, resulting in reliability improvement of the circuit. Click here for the features of the fast recovery diode.


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