High current fast recovery diodes for HVDC applications

17th October 2017

IXYS

Alice Matthews

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Datasheet

Global power and IC semiconductor company, IXYS, has announced that its wholly owned UK subsidiary, IXYS UK Westcode, launched a new range of 4,500V high current fast recovery diodes (HP-sonic FRDs) with nominal operating currents from 1,800-3,000A, to be used in conjunction with IXYS’ family of high current press-pack IGBTs. The new diodes incorporate IXYS UK’s most advanced die bonding technology, where the silicon die is bonded to a metallic disc, replacing older designs based on floating silicon.

The new bonded die design offers a diode with improved thermal stability and very robust mechanical properties. The silicon is optimised with advanced processing to give an unrivalled rate of change of current capability to more than 5,000A per microsecond, while retaining a soft recovery characteristic and low switching losses.

The diodes are packaged in fully hermetic 26mm thick ceramic packages with copper electrodes, and are compatible for series clamping in the same stack as IXYS UKs range of very high current press-pack IGBTs. The 3,000A device has a 96mm die and the 2,400A device has a 91mm die. Both are packaged in an 85mm electrode package with an overall diameter of 125mm. The 1,800A device has an 83mm die and is packaged in a 75mm electrode package with an overall diameter of 112mm.

Parts number designations are as follows: 3,000A device, E3000EC45E, 2,400A device, E2400EC45E and 1,800A device, E1800TC45E. The two lower current devices will replace the older C series floating silicon products and the 3,000A device extends the range to cover the new 3,000A press-pack IGBT.

“These new diodes combine IXYS’s established and market leading HP-sonic FRD fast diode technology with our best practice silicon bonding technology. These advanced diodes will replace our older floating silicon devices and will offer the customer the ultimate in reliability,” commented Frank Wakeman, IXYS UK’s Marketing and Technical Support Manager.

The new HP sonic FRDs are optimised for use with IXYS UK’s range of 4,500V press pack IGBTs as both anti-parallel and neutral point clamp diodes for multi-level converters. Typical applications for this device include: utilities and HVDC applications such as, flexible AC transition systems, HVDC transition, Statcoms, VSC SVC; medium voltage AC drives for harsh environments and ultra-high power, such as mining, marine and off shore, gas and oil installations; and renewable energy for wind turbines, hydro generation, wave-generation and solar.

As well as applications incorporating IXYS UKs press-pack IGBTs, the devices are also suitable for use with other very high power switching devices which require the same combination for very high di/dt and soft recovery, such as IGCTs (integrated gate-commutated thyristor).