Power semiconductors-innovation and improvement continue to challenge the designer

While power electronics draws on many disciplines, the power device technology remains crucial and designers need to monitor developments in this area. This has never been truer than it is at the present time, with new devices appearing and others evolving rapidly. The author discusses the GTO, power MOSFET, IGBT, MOS controlled thyristor (MCT), SIT, BJT, double-gated devices, trench technology, soft switching, and the feasibility of using SiC.<>