Harris Semiconductor announced the availability of a new insulated gate bipolar transistor (A HREF="http://www.semi.harris.com/igbt/" target=new>IGBT) family that combines the best features of A HREF="http://www.semi.harris.com/igbt/" target=new>MOSFETs and bipolar transistors -- high impedance and low on-state conduction losses. Harrisý new non-punch through (NPT) series of N-channel 1200V IGBTs provide rugged, high-efficiency operation in a variety of high-voltage switching applications where low conduction losses are essential.

"The development of this process technology and product families underscore our commitment to the industrial marketplace," says Tom Daly, Harrisý director of industrial power marketing. "Our new high voltage NPT technology eliminates the need to choose between fault tolerance and low losses ý our products provide designers the best of both worlds. Whatýs more, we trim design time by offering temperature-compensated SABER models validated over a wide range of operating conditions."

Harrisý NPT family includes 18-, 20-, 27- and 30-ampere IGBTs which provide low saturation voltage (V_CE(SAT)) and reduced turnoff losses. They are immediately available in a variety of options and in B- and C-speed grades. The B-speed parts are tailored for use in switched-mode power supplies, welders and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). The C-speed products are ideally suited for use in AC motor controls and motor drives.

The B-speed grade IGBTs, HGTG27N120BN and HGTG18N120BN, offer the designer significantly higher operating frequencies required for switch-mode power supply, welding and UPS applications. Both devices offer 40KHz operation at the rated current. Unlike competing NPT designs, Harrisý B-speed products provide lower turn-off losses. The HGTG18N120BND includes an anti-parallel diode co-assembled in a TO-247 package.

The C-speed grade IGBTs, HGTG30N120CN and HGTG20N120CN, are ideally suited for AC motor control and motor drive applications where fault tolerance, low saturation voltage and switching losses improve circuit efficiency and reliability. Both IGBTs have a typical fall time of 350 nanoseconds at junction temperatures of 150ý C and short circuit withstand times of 15 microseconds at 15V. The 30A device has typical collector-to-emitter saturation voltage of 2.1V at 25ý C and 2.9V at 150ý C. The positive temperature coefficient allows for easy paralleling of devices. The HGTG20N120CND includes an anti-parallel diode co-assembled in the same package. Complete datasheets are available on Harris Semiconductorýs website.

Not many of our readers will be using 1200-V IGBTs at work this week, but this product range is still analog and fills a major need in the industrial market where losses in existing products are just too high. And these products will be a commercial success. The process that Harris uses -- with a silicon float -- allows for low saturation voltages, which permit higher speed operations than punch-through devices, while still maintaining the low turn-off losses. I also like the fact that there are versions including an anti-parallel diode in the package, and I think the B-speed versions of the products are priced at a level where they will sell extremely well in the UPS and power supply markets, particularly the UPS markets. The market addressed by the C-speed products is outside my experience but I imagine that higher efficiencies, through lower losses, are even more important there.

The products are available for sampling in TO-247 packaging. The 30-A C-speed part, HGTG30N120CN, is priced at $6.12 in 1000-piece lots while the 30-A B-speed part, HGTG30N120BN, is priced at $6.18 in 1000-piece lots. Temperature-compensated SABER and P-SPICE device models are also available.