IGBT fault current limiting circuit

There is a growing market demand for insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) with high efficiency but long short-circuit withstand time. The inherent device tradeoff, however, does not allow device designers to achieve both goals simultaneously. The proposed circuits, by limiting the fault current magnitude, extends the short-circuit withstand time of high efficiency (high-gain) IGBTs. Limiting of the fault current magnitude also results in reduced turn-off voltage transients; a desirable byproduct, especially for higher current modules. Moreover, the adverse Miller effect is counterbalanced to a great degree. If the fault current is of a short transient type, the circuit restores normal operation, a unique and desirable feature for noise-prone systems. The circuit does not require an external DC supply to operate. This feature, combined with the simplicity of the circuit, makes it feasible to insert the circuit in IGBT modules or connect it as an interface between the gate driver and module. >