TAEC enhances IGBT line with device technology

Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. (TAEC) has announced a 1,200V series of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) that provide improved performance in general inverter and motor drive applications. Developed by Toshiba Corp. the new devices, designated the IGBT-7 Series, utilize a new process technology and trench structure to achieve lower saturation voltage, a wide safe operating area (SOA), higher operating frequency, and higher reliability than previous solutions. The IGBT-7 Series includes nine modules with rated current levels ranging from 50A for the MG50Q2YS71 to 600A for the MG600Q1US71.

The IGBT-7 Series utilizes a new Injection Enhancement Gate Transistor (IEGT) manufacturing process for high-power MOS devices that achieves the best features of conventional Gate Turn-Off (GTO) thyristors and IGBTs. Devices based on the company's IEGT process provide the same function as an IGBT, with increased performance.

The new IEGT process achieves a low saturation voltage like that of GTOs; a wide SOA, like that of an IGBT; and excellent voltage gate drive performance, combined with a high operating frequency with low loss. Further, the new series overcomes the narrow SOA and large switching loss characteristic of GTOs, as well as the high saturation voltage characteristic of conventional IGBT devices.

The company's latest offering also employs a new Ultra-thin Punch-Through (UTPT) trench structure to achieve approximately 25 percent lower switching time turn-off loss than TAEC's earlier IGBT Plus and Thin NPT-Planar IGBT product families.

Samples of the 150A MG150Q2YS71 are available now, priced at $47 in sample quantities. Samples of the other IGBT-7 devices will be available in the first- or second quarter of 2004.