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Article | REF: D3232 V2

Bipolar Devices (Thyristors, Triacs, GTO, GCT and BJT) : Gate and Base Drive Circuits

Authors: Stéphane LEFEBVRE, Bernard MULTON, Nicolas ROUGER

Publication date: May 10, 2018

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ABSTRACT

This article presents the command principles of the main current-driven bipolar power semiconductor devices. It focuses on the shaping and amplification of trigger currents (thyristors, triacs and GTO) for the control of these components (bipolar transistors). We have deliberately opted to describe driving circuits of components such as BJT or GTO thyristors, despite their limited or even obsolete applications. These circuits are particularly well-suited to presenting the driving circuits of components such as SiC BJTs or IGCTs.

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AUTHORS

  • Stéphane LEFEBVRE: Professor - SATIE, Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, Paris, France

  • Bernard MULTON: Professor - SATIE, École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, Rennes, France

  • Nicolas ROUGER: Research Manager - Laplace, CNRS, Toulouse, France

 INTRODUCTION

The contexts and principles of bipolar power component control were the subject of the articles Control of power semiconductor components: context [D3230] and Characteristics of power semiconductor components with a view to their control [D3231] .

This article describes the control circuits:

  • thyristors controlled by gate current pulses, for which synchronization of the trigger circuits is required;

  • triacs (bidirectional), which can be controlled in much the same way as thyristors;

  • current-controlled bipolar transistors (silicon and silicon carbide technology);

  • GTO (Gate Turn Off) and GCT thyristors, whose control principles are fairly similar to those of silicon bipolar transistors.

Control circuits for MOSFETs and IGBTs are the subject of the article Control circuits for gate transistors (MOSFETs, IGBTs, HEMTs) [D3233] .

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KEYWORDS

gate drives   |   bipolar devices   |   triacs   |     |   BJT

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Bipolar components (thyristors, triacs, GTO, GCT and BJT): control circuits
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