Voltage withstand of power semiconductors

The voltage withstand capability of a power semiconductor component, i.e. its ability to act as an open switch between main contacts, is ensured in all cases by a reverse-biased blocking junction. This junction, which forms the backbone of the device, is generally highly asymmetrical: to withstand high voltages, one of the two regions, often referred to by the generic term "base", must allow the space charge to extend sufficiently. The various physical effects that limit the blockable voltage play out in much the same way in all power semiconductor components, and design or technology problems relating to voltage withstand can thus be addressed in a quasi-generic way. This is the purpose of this article.

For background information, please refer to article