Advanced GTO development

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:408386

Eriksson, L O; Barrow, J ^[1]

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1. General Electric Co., Malvern, PA (United States)

This report was initiated to leapfrog existing technology by developing the buried grid version of the gate-turn-off (GTO) thyristor. Considerable challenges were encountered and overcome. Experiments conducted at the GE Static Power Components Operation led to consideration of a GTO thyristor with a mesa-like structure. This GTO was produced using conventional thyristor processing steps and a lower temperature, high lifetime oxidation system. A computer program was written to optimize diffusion profiles, resulting in the lowest ``P`` sheet resistance with an 18 to 25 V cathode avalanche. These new diffusion profiles and a new island design resulted in a new GTO device operating at 15 V gate with ``higher spike`` voltage capability and a lower snubber capacitor and at inherently lower cost. Samples were delivered to the US Army, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey in 1989, and to GE Corporate Research & Development in 1990. The initial step towards commercialization was marked by an order from Westinghouse Science and Technology Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 408386
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR-107012
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Oct 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES
THYRISTORS
TESTING
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
DESIGN
PERFORMANCE
PROCESSING
MASKING
OXIDATION
DIFFUSION COATING
ALUMINIUM
GALLIUM
BORON
MATERIALS TESTING
IRRADIATION
GETTERING
SERVICE LIFE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
AC SYSTEMS
HVDC SYSTEMS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS