1. The role of semiconductors in power electronics

Power semiconductors are the active components in the control and conversion of electrical energy.

Originally, they were by-products of the gigantic technological effort that led to the emergence of solid-state electronics and then microelectronics. But their development quickly became autonomous, associated with that of power electronics. Power semiconductors are primarily intended for switch functions, and while the physical principles involved are the same as for other semiconductor components, the structures and technologies - and the problems posed by their implementation - are very different. The field of knowledge that concerns them lies at the intersection of solid-state electronic physics, microelectronics technology, power electronics and systems analysis, to name but the main disciplines.