Investigation of Transient Thermal Behavior in Thyristors Under Pulse Conditions

Under pulsed discharge conditions, high-power thyristors face challenges such as an excessively high current rise rate (di/dt) and the issue of triggering front expansion, which are difficult to accurately simulate. Traditional modeling approaches often neglect the non-uniform distribution and expan...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Guanxiang Zhang, Xiao Zhang, Junyong Lu, Yufeng Dai, Tao Ma, Bofeng Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Micromachines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/3/291
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Under pulsed discharge conditions, high-power thyristors face challenges such as an excessively high current rise rate (di/dt) and the issue of triggering front expansion, which are difficult to accurately simulate. Traditional modeling approaches often neglect the non-uniform distribution and expansion process of the internal current within the silicon wafer. In this study, we address these limitations by incorporating these critical factors into our analysis. Using a two-dimensional device–circuit co-simulation approach, we investigate the current, temperature, and thermal power distribution within the thyristor during the turn-on process under pulsed discharge conditions. Based on the simulation results, we derive the velocity equation governing the transverse expansion of the thyristor current. Furthermore, we establish a three-dimensional finite element model of the thyristor and develop a generalized extended model for complex gate structures. These models enable us to obtain the transient temperature distribution during the thyristor turn-on process under pulsed conditions. Finally, we conduct cycle surge life tests on various types of thyristors, providing valuable insights for the selection and optimization of thyristors designed for pulsed applications.
ISSN:2072-666X