Recent development in gate controlled switches

Improved understanding of the design and operation of these devices has led to the successful development of a new generation of high power gate controlled switches. The devices reported here have an 800 volt forward blocking capability. The forward drop is less than 1.7 volts at 100 amperes and the devices turn-off 100 amperes in about 1 microsecond. Testing techniques and procedures have been developed to fully characterize these devices and to provide an understanding of the effect of various circuit conditions on switching performance. These advancements greatly extend the potential use fulness of gate controlled switches in power electronics applications.