Characterization and snubbing of a bidirectional MCT switch in a resonant AC link converter

The MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) is emerging as a powerful switch that combines the characteristics of existing power devices. This paper presents a study of switching stresses on the MCT under zero voltage resonant switching. Two MCTs and two diodes are connected to form a bidirectional switch which was used in an AC/AC resonant link inverter. Current and voltage spikes are observed and analyzed with variations in the timing of the MCT switching. Different snubber circuit configurations are investigated to minimize the effect of these transients. Some failure modes of the device are also presented.<
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