Table of Contents

FUNDAMENTALS OF SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS
Fundamentals
Charge Transport
Carrier Injection
Generation and Recombination of Charge Carriers
The Continuity Equation
The Poisson Equation
High Field Effects

THE P-N JUNCTION
The Built-in Voltage of a p-n Junction
The Depletion Region (Space-Charge Region)
The Current/Voltage Characteristics of the p-n junction
The Emitter Efficiency
The Real p-n Junction

THE PIN-DIODE
Conducting state of the pin-diode
The Dynamic Behavior of the pin-Diode
The Design of modern pin-Diodes

THE BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR
The Structure of the Bipolar Transistor
The Current Amplification of the BJT
Current (Injection-) breakdown of the Bipolar Transistor
Voltage drop in the On-state
Base push-out ("Kirk"-Effect)
Second Breakdown

THE THYRISTOR
Function of the thyristor
The trigger condition
Static current-voltage characteristics
Transistor operation (stable forward blocking and metastable)
Latched State of the thyristor
The Thyristor in the Reverse Blocking Mode
Turn-on behavior
Turn-off Behavior

THE GTO AND GCT 163
The GTO
The GCT (Gate Commutated Thyristor)

THE POWER MOSFET
How the MOSFET functions
The Structure of the Power MOSFET
The Switching Behavior of the power MOSFET
Short-circuit Behavior
The Anti-parallel Diode

THE IGBT 233
Construction and Functional Description of the IGBT
The Current/Voltage Characteristics of the IGBT
The Switching Behavior of the IGBT
Ruggedness of the IGBT
Methods to Improve the IGBT Technology Curve