Two-Dimensional Device Simulation for the Design Optimization of a Bidirectional Phase Control Thyristor

The operation of 8.5-kV bidirectional phase control thyristor (BiPCT) is analyzed using calibrated device simulation (TCAD) with the goal of improving the tradeoff between the ON-state and turn-off losses. To cope with the specifics of the BiPCT in 2-D approximation, a special approach to turn the device from the forward blocking regime to the ON-state is introduced. The simulated characteristics of investigated design variants are compared with the ones measured on real devices produced on 100-mm silicon wafers. Both unirradiated and proton irradiated devices are discussed.