IGBT

Device Overview

The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) combines the voltage-driven gate of a MOSFET with the low conduction drop of a bipolar device. Above roughly 600V and at switching frequencies up to several tens of kilohertz, it remains the most cost-effective switch family for power conversion — which is why it dominates industrial drives, welding, induction heating, solar inverters and EV powertrains.

Structure Evolution

IGBT cell structures have evolved through three generations: punch-through (PT), non-punch-through (NPT), and the current mainstream field-stop (FS) trench design. Trench-gate FS IGBTs reduce VCE(sat) while suppressing tail current, lowering both conduction and turn-off loss. The practical result: a device that runs cooler at the same current, or carries more current on the same heatsink.

Our 650V Portfolio

Our HG-series 650V IGBT discretes cover 10–75A in TO-220, TO-220F and TO-247 packages. T-series devices are tuned for low conduction loss in hard-switched motor drives; U-series devices trade slightly higher VCE(sat) for faster turn-off, fitting higher switching frequencies. For inverters above roughly 15kW, 34mm and 62mm module platforms take over from discretes.

Selection Criteria

• Voltage headroom — keep bus-voltage spikes at or below 80% of rated VCE;
• VCE(sat) vs. Eoff balance — pick the operating point that minimizes total loss at your actual switching frequency;
• Short-circuit withstand — 10μs-class devices allow simpler protection schemes;
• Thermal margin — design to junction temperature targets at worst-case ambient, not typical load.

Outlook

Hybrid modules pairing IGBTs with SiC antiparallel diodes, and the coexistence of Si IGBT with SiC MOSFET across power ranges, will keep the IGBT relevant for years. Full datasheets for the HG series are available through the product pages and the inquiry channel on this site.