Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has launched a 650V discrete insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) GT30J65MRB. Particularly, the product suits power factor correction (PFC) circuits^[1] of air conditioners and large power supplies for industrial equipment. The company has already started volume shipment.

Power semiconductors have won recognition as important devices in energy conservation efforts, including moves toward carbon neutrality. Accordingly, industrial equipment and home appliances, which consume considerable electricity, demand for highly efficient switching devices is growing. For that reason, there has been an increasing need to use inverters in air conditioners and lower power consumption in large-scale power supplies of industrial equipment.

This has spurred increasing demand for low-loss switching devices and higher switching frequencies in PFC circuits.

Immense Improvement

Toshiba brings the latest process to its new IGBT. An optimized trench structure secures an industry-leading^[2] low switching loss (turn-off switching loss) of 0.35mJ (typ.)^[3]. Approximately, this is 42%^[4] lower than in Toshiba’s previous product, GT50JR22.

The new IGBT also has a built-in diode with forward voltage of 1.20V (typ.)^[5], approximately 43%^[5] lower than in GT50JR22. These improvements contribute to increased equipment efficiency.

For PFC circuits of air conditioners, Toshiba’s previous product GT50JR22 comes with an operating frequency below 40kHz^[6]. GT30J65MRB is Toshiba’s first IGBT for PFC for use below 60kHz^[6], achieved by reducing switching loss (turn-off switching loss) to secure higher frequency operation.

Toshiba will continue to expand its product line-up to meet market trends and improve equipment efficiency.

Notes:

[1] Power factor correction (PFC) circuit: A circuit that reduces the phase difference between voltage and current to bring the power factor close to unity, in order to suppress harmonic components generated in switching power supplies.

[2] Toshiba survey, as of March 2023.

[3] Test condition: Inductive load, VCE=400V, IC=15A, VGE=15V, RG=56Ω, Tc=175°C

[4] As of March 2023, values measured by Toshiba (test condition: VCC=400V, IC=15A, VGG=+15V/0, RG=56Ω, Tc=175°C).

[5] Test condition: IF=15A, VGE=0V, Tc=25°C

[6] As of March 2023, values measured by Toshiba using its PFC evaluation boards.