High-Voltage, Low-Current Diodes

Dec 1, 2004 1:40 PM
Edited by PETech Staff

STMicroelectronics has introduced a range of ultrafast high-voltage, medium-current diodes. The STTH diodes are designed for use in industrial, automotive, motor control, lighting and power conversion applications, which need high-voltage ultrafast diodes that will handle voltages between 800 V and 1200 V, but relatively small currents from 1 A to 3 A. Such applications also need diodes with medium recovery times (not more than 75 ns) and the best possible ratio of forward voltage drop (VF) to leakage current (IR).

The STTH parts are built with a planar, platinum-doped silicon, which helps optimize the combination of VF, IR and trr recovery time. There is a tradeoff in both former gold- and new platinum-doped diodes between forward-voltage drop VF and reverse recovery time trr. The advantage of the platinum doping process is to reduce leakage current by approximately 100 times, compared to gold doping, providing scope to improve VF at a given trr.

The platinum process enables STMicroelectronics to offer a maximum operating temperature of 175°C for its diodes. The reduced leakage current of the process also creates a useful temperature margin with regard to the thermal runaway phenomenon. On top of this, the optimization of the forward-voltage drop in the new series cuts the power losses of the clamping functions in standby mode.

These parts are suitable for free-wheeling, clamping, snubbing and de-magnetization functions in power supplies and other power-switching applications. Prices range from $0.17 to $0.24 in quantities of 5K pieces.

For more information, visit www.st.com.

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