Modelling a GTO with PSPICE

The structure of a PSPICE gate turn-off thyristor (GTO) model is described. A main principle is to calculate the model parameters without the requirement of physical device data like doping profile and device dimensions. All parameters are derived from the GTO data sheet and from measurements of the dynamic behavior. In order to reduce the number of nodes and the required simulation time, the available PSPICE transistor model is used. A network for a static model consisting of two transistors and four resistors was investigated. A model of a 1600-V/600-A GTO is presented. Comparison between the simulated and measured waveforms confirms the quality of the model.<>