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Accurate modelling of PiN diode transient behaviour is necessary to extract design parameters which are not documented in datasheets. To meet this requirement, this paper introduces a novel approach giving the possibility to identify accurate parameters of a given device. The used technique is based only on two stages. First, the design parameters are initialized and optimized. Second, they are refined by minimizing the cost function which depends on the transient switching parameters (IRM, VRM and trr). With a simple and CPU time-saving approach this technique leads to extract design parameters without necessarily knowing the exact technological architecture of the PiN diode. Moreover, in order to validate the proposed approach and the parameter extraction procedure three commercial diodes are tested. A good agreement between experimental and simulation data is obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial power diodes are optimized to feature punch-through behavior. However, a tradeoff between the width and the doping level of the diode epitaxial layer leads to various levels of optimization. For a given breakdown voltage, a shorter epitaxial layer width leads to better transient performances. Device datasheets do not cover this issue and a simple experimental setup is presented to assess the optimization conditions inside the diode epitaxial layer. Three commercial devices are tested and experimental results are confronted to device simulations. A good agreement is found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of integrated power systems requires prototype-less approaches. Accurate simulations are necessary for analysis and verification purposes. Simulation relies on component models and associated parameters. The paper focuses on a step-by-step extraction procedure for the design parameters of a one-dimensional finite-element-method (FEM) model of the PiN diode. The design parameters are also available for diverse physics-based analytical models. The PiN diode remains a complex device to model particularly during switching transients. The paper demonstrates that a simple FEM model may be considered unknowingly of the device exact technology. Heterogeneous simulation is illustrated. The state-of-art of parameter extraction methods is briefly recalled. The proposed procedure is detailed. The diode model and extracted parameters are systematically validated from electro-thermal point-of-view. Validity domains are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro-thermal simulations of a PIN-diode based on the finite-element method, show a non-uniform temperature distribution inside the device during switching transients. Hence, the implicit assumption of a uniform temperature distribution when coupling an analytical electrical model and a thermal model yields inaccurate electro-thermal behaviour of the PIN-diode so far. The idea of including non-uniform temperature distribution into power semiconductor device models is not new, as accurate electro-thermal simulations are required for designing compact power electronic systems (as IC or MCM). Instead of using a one-dimensional finite difference or element method, the bond graphs and the hydrodynamic method are utilized to build an electro-thermal model of the PIN-diode. The results obtained by this original technique are compared with those obtained by a commercial finite-element simulator. The results are similar but the computation effort of the proposed technique is a fraction of that required by finite-element simulators. Moreover, the proposed technique may be applied easily to other power semiconductor devices. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper evaluates the optimal design of the low-doped base region inside power diodes and other bipolar devices. It is demonstrated theoretically that a low-doped base region of P+N−N+ diodes can provide a high breakdown voltage and an optimal on-resistance . A simple, accurate and CPU timesaving approach is presented to extract an optimal value for the base region width, , and its doping concentration, . The paper details an analytical relation between and , and gives a method for quantifying the trade-off between their values for a given breakdown voltage and for obtaining the minimal on-resistance. Analytical results are confronted with experimental results for 4H-SiC- and 6H-SiC-based diodes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]