Safe Operating Area of Medium-Power Discrete Rectifiers, a Key Differentiator in High Power Density Applications

Abstract:
The consideration of the safe operating area (SOA) of utilized semiconductor devices in power applications is a key factor for a robust design, especially for high power density and high temperature applications. While the SOA of transistors is well known, less attention is paid to SOA of the rectifiers in the circuit. This paper presents how in general the SOA of discrete rectifiers is determined. The three main contributors to SOA which are the choice of technology, package and the PCB board are discussed in this paper.