A lumped-charge model for gate turn-off thyristors suitable for circuit simulation

An innovative formulation of the lumped charge approach is used to extract a circuit model of high voltage gate rum-off thyristor (GTO) suitable to accurately predict their static and dynamic characteristics. The model includes the effects of depletion capacitance, non-quasistatic phenomena, the avalanche breakdown of the cathode junction and the effects of the anode shorts. The accuracy of the model can be increased thanks to its modularity and expandability. The equations of the model are given in such a form, which can be easily incorporated into PSPICE simulators as a sub-circuit net-list. The model was tested with success on devices rated at 4500 V and 2500 A. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.