December 9, 2008

Future high power IGBT modules with Reverse Conducting (RC) IGBT technology incorporating an integrated freewheeling diode in the same silicon volume will be capable of providing exceptional electrical performance in terms of the maximum allowable output current capability. The RC-IGBT concept is not new and is basically derived from the concept of the MOSFET’s integrated body diode. With the advancements of modern IGBT and diode structures, more development effort is being aimed at reviving the RC-IGBT concept, since the potentials that could arise from such a technological step are great. In this article, a fully functional high voltage and high current IGBT module rated at 3300V consisting solely of RC-IGBT chips under hard switching conditions and under heavy paralleling in high current modules is demonstrated.