

The basic IGBT mode of operation, where a pnp transistor is driven by a MOSFET, was first proposed by K. Atalla and Dawon Kahng at Bell Labs in 1959. The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) was invented by Mohamed M. IGBT comparison table Device characteristic

As of 2010, the IGBT was the second most widely used power transistor, after the power MOSFET. In switching applications modern devices feature pulse repetition rates well into the ultrasonic-range frequencies, which are at least ten times higher than audio frequencies handled by the device when used as an analog audio amplifier. Since it is designed to turn on and off rapidly, the IGBT can synthesize complex waveforms with pulse-width modulation and low-pass filters, thus it is also used in switching amplifiers in sound systems and industrial control systems. It is used in switching power supplies in high-power applications: variable-frequency drives (VFDs), Uninterruptible Power Supply Systems (UPS), electric cars, trains, variable-speed refrigerators, lamp ballasts, arc-welding machines, induction hobs, and air conditioners. It consists of four alternating layers (P–N–P–N) that are controlled by a metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) gate structure.Īlthough the structure of the IGBT is topologically similar to a thyristor with a "MOS" gate ( MOS-gate thyristor), the thyristor action is completely suppressed, and only the transistor action is permitted in the entire device operation range. It was developed to combine high efficiency with fast switching. IGBT module (IGBTs and freewheeling diodes) with a rated current of 1200 A and a maximum voltage of 3300 VĪn insulated-gate bipolar transistor ( IGBT) is a three-terminal power semiconductor device primarily forming an electronic switch.
