General Requirements of Power Devices
The general requirements of all power semiconductor devices are as follows :
- They should be capable of handling large current and power.
- In the off state they should be able to withstand very high voltage.
- The on state voltage drop across them should be small.
- The on state resistance should be small.
- Very high off state resistance.
- It should be turned on and off completely and quickly.
- Capability to operate as a switch at very high frequency.
- It should have a high dv/dt and di/dt ratings.
- It should have a small thermal resistance so as to dissipate heat effectively.
- It should be able to withstand to large fault currents.
- The temperature coefficient should be negative, so that parallel operation becomes easy.
- Its cost should be low.