3. Characteristics of gate transistors for control purposes

3.1 Influence of the control circuit on the performance of gated components

MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) transistors are controlled by applying a voltage between the gate and source electrodes (also called emitter in the case of IGBTs). Almost all IGBTs and most power MOSFETs are N-channel. Typically, a voltage of around 15 V is optimal for turning on MOSFETs and IGBTs, or even 20 V for SiC transistors, while 5 V may be sufficient for L ² FETs (Logic Level Field Effect Transistor), Logic Level IGBTs (or some GaN HEMTs). At zero voltage, the transistor is blocked in almost all cases (normally OFF components), but a negative...