Development of 60 A, TO-220-packaged, double-interdigitated (TIL) GTO thyristors with enhanced electrothermal reliability.

A rigorous developmental design is performed with the aim of achieving the limits of the peak interruptable anode current I[sub ATO] in the recently reported TO-220-packaged, high-voltage double-interdigitated (TIL) GTO thyristors. The 8mm²-area trial devices possess a safe operating value of I[sub ATO] = 60 A under the heaviest possible on-state power dissipation conditions. This value of I[sub ATO], which exceeds even the non-repetitive peak on-state current I[sub TSM] (50A) of test TIL GTOs and which corresponds to a peak switched current density of 750 A/cm², is the highest ever reported for this class of GTOs (with identical device area and case). The devices have good reliability at high commutation frequencies under heavy load conditions. They possess an excellent turn-on sensitivity accompanied by an immunity to noise (high dV/dt capability). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]