Super Junction MOSFETs for Improved Reverse Recovery Performance

This industry-leading low on-state resistance and low gate charge combination benchmark, combined with the fast body diode feature, allow the new RJL60S5DPP, RJL60S5DPK and RJL60S5DPE devices to contribute to improved power efficiency in home appliance motor drives, such as for air conditioners, that employ high-speed motors with inverterized control.

In recent years, greater environmental awareness has led efforts to increase the energy efficiency of electronic devices and reduce our energy footprint. In particular, there has been a strong emphasis on reducing loss and improving power efficiency in the power supply circuits of home appliances. This has spurred demand for lower loss (which is a function of lower on-state resistance and better switching characteristics) in the power devices used in such products, to improve overall energy efficiency.

Previously, air conditioners and other home appliances employing high-voltage, high-speed motors and inverters typically used IGBTs with discrete Fast Recovery Diodes, in one package, to enable a short reverse recovery time. Now, the need for even higher switching speeds, coupled with the need for even lower loss with stable operation and performance is generating demand for Super Junction MOSFETs with fast recovery body diode characteristics. Unlike a conventional planar structure, the Super Junction MOSFETs enable a decrease of the on-resistance without reducing the voltage tolerance of the device, making it possible to produce MOSFETs with a lower on-resistance per unit of area. To meet the growing need for these devices as the industry moves toward a more energy-conscious perspective, Renesas has leveraged its accumulated expertise in power device technology to develop a family of new high-performance Super Junction MOSFETs with high-speed body diodes, for low loss and improved high-speed switching performance.

Key features of the new Super Junction MOSFETs:

1) Industry-leading low on-state resistance
Leveraging expertise gained from earlier Super Junction MOSFET devices designed for applications, such as PC servers and LCD TVs, Renesas has achieved an on-state resistance of 150 mΩ (typical value) in a 600 V power semiconductor device along with a low gate charge. This enables improved power efficiency for applications such as home appliances that employ high-speed motors and inverterized control.

2) Shorter reverse recovery time
The new Super Junction MOSFET devices have built-in fast body diodes with specifications optimized for high-speed motor control applications. There is a significant reduction in the diodes’ reverse recovery time to only 150 ns, about one third that of the diodes in similar-rated existing Super Junction MOSFET devices.

3) High-speed switching capability with significantly reduced side effects such as ringing
Renesas improved the gate drain capacitance by optimizing the surface configuration, thereby minimizing ringing, while preserving high-speed switching performance. This improvement contributes to reduced loss and stable operation, especially in three-phase bridge circuits, which are widely used in high-speed motor and inverter control applications.

Renesas continues to support customers by supplying total signal chain solutions, combining microcontrollers with analogue and power devices, and looks forward to increasing its standing as a leading global supplier of power semiconductor devices. Renesas considers this new series of high-precision Super Junction MOSFET devices as the core of its high-voltage power device lineup, intending to further strengthen its array of products. Renesas will also expand its range of kit solutions for motor and inverter applications, combining the new Super Junction MOSFET devices with Renesas’ RL78 family of low-power MCUs or the RX family of mid-range MCUs, as well as optocouplers for driving power semiconductor devices. Reference boards incorporating the new Super Junction MOSFET devices are also scheduled to be prepared to provide support for customers with kit evaluation and product design.

The Super Junction MOSFET devices are available in configurations equivalent to the following industry-standard packages: TO-220FP (RJL60S5DPP), TO-3P (RJL60S5DPK), and LDPAK (RJL60S5DPE).

Samples of Renesas Electronics' new RJL60S5DPP, RJL60S5DPK, and RJL60S5DPE SJ-MOSFETs will be available in autumn 2012. Mass production is scheduled to begin December 2012.