Novel active avalanche paradigm for power semiconductor device extending extending SOA to 6.5kV/15kA

With the rapid growth of renewable energy being integrated, transmitted, and utilized in various forms, power systems are evolving from traditional metal-based infrastructures to advanced semiconductor-based technologies. Central to this transformation, power semiconductor devices now face the crucial demands of ultrahigh switching ability, presenting a long-standing challenge in the field. In this work, building on the P-N-P-N scheme, we propose a novel Avalanche Controlled Thyristor (ACT) device, which pivots an active avalanche paradigm to realize robust and strong switch-off ability through semiconductor-level electrical potential manipulation. Unprecedentedly, we achieve a controllable switch-off current record of 15kA, 375% that of the conventional devices without sacrificing the blocking and conduction capability. The novel device signifies that switching ability is no longer a bottleneck for power semiconductor devices, which is believed to revolutionarily reshape the technical and practical landscape of power conversion, and fundamentally boost the large-scale integration, cross-regional transmission, and cost-effective utilization of renewable energy.