Ultrasoft Ultrafast Diodes Reduce Conduction Losses

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. today introduced 28 new 600V and 650V FRED Pt® Gen 4 Ultrafast recovery diodes optimized for high-frequency converters in power modules, motor drives, UPS, solar inverters, and welding machine inverters. Offered as die in wafer form, Vishay Semiconductors "H" and "U" series devices offer ultra-low forward voltage and reverse recovery charge to reduce losses and increase efficiency, while their extremely soft turn-off behavior minimizes overvoltages under all switching conditions.

The devices released today are designed for use as anti-parallel diodes in combination with Vishay's new Trench insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). Together, the Ultrafast diodes and IGBTs provide low EMI and plug-and-play reliability for single- and three-phase inverters, as well as full- and half-bridge dc-dc converters. The "H" and "U" series devices can also be used as stand-alone components for power factor correction circuits, boosters, choppers, and secondary-side rectification.

Designed to minimize conduction losses in medium-speed circuits, 600V "U" series diodes feature extremely low forward voltage down to 1.4V for 600V devices and 1.48V for 650V devices. Optimized to deliver high speeds for higher-frequency applications, "H" series diodes offer reverse recovery times down to 25 ns with low typical forward voltages down to 1.65V for 600V devices and 1.74V for 650V devices.

The Gen 4 diodes feature improved technologies in their active area and termination design — allowing for forward currents ranging from 12A to 250A in smaller die sizes than previous-generation devices — while their reduced thickness improves thermal impedance. For high reliability, the polyimide passivated diodes offer a high operating temperature to +175 degrees C. Samples and production quantities of the Gen 4 Ultrasoft recovery diodes are available now, with lead times of eight weeks for large orders. Pricing for U.S. delivery only is $0.14 per piece.