EL SEGUNDO, CA. February 1998 International Rectifier's (IR) new Generation 4 rugged 600- and 1200-V motor control IGBTs provide more power to motor drive systems at a smaller size, lower system cost and cost of doing business, making them the first choice to design around for most competitive motor drives. They are the most efficient, rugged and highest performance IGBTs in the industry.

These new IGBTs complement IR's industry benchmark high-efficiency series of IGBTs that were targeted at power supplies, welders and appliance drives. They have 20 to 40% less conduction losses, and/or 30 to 55% reduced switching losses, providing a clear performance advantage compared to the seven top competitors and previous generations of IGBTs. Competitive pricing, increased reliability, improved quality and delivery are other advantages for International Rectifier's customers in the medium-power drives market, typically for 0.25- to 7.5-kW AC or DC motors. They are available as discretes and Co-Packs (IGBTs with built-in freewheeling diode), and can be recognized by the part number IRG4xxxKxxx. Packages available include the TO-220, TO-247, Super-247 and the surface mountable DPAK, D2PAK and SMD-10.

Current ratings exceed previous commercially available devices by 15 to 60%. Lowest Vce(on) reduces heatsink requirements, and the minimized switching losses allow 16- to 25-kHz switching frequency with the least compromise. For example, the closest device, the HGTP12N60C3DR, has 10% higher Vce and twice the switching losses, and 15% lower current rating under exactly equal conditions. Further benefits:

• High short circuit capability. The short circuit capability is 100% tested in production for 10 µs at a starting bus voltage of 60% the IGBTs rated voltage, and 125ºC, and Vge=15 V, exceeding by far the real application requirements.
• High peak current ratings allow for high starting currents and capacitive currents for long motor cables, which is often the case in industrial motor drives.

The devices are extensively specified. For instance, the total switching losses of the IGBT include tail currents, diode recovery losses and a complete set of trend curves. High temperature gate bias (worst electrical stress), which is 2 to 4 times the typical for the industry, 96 hours autoclave, and exceeding 10,000 power cycles, at 100ºC Delta-T. This achieves the same level as the famous International Rectifier HEXFETâ Power MOSFET.

The bottom line is 20 to 100% more power than previously available IGBTs and a lower total cost of doing business. Samples, data sheets and production quantities are now available through normal sales channels. Data is also available on the internet website at http://www.irf.com and the fax-on-demand system at 1-310-252-7100 in the U.S. and 44-1883-733420 in Europe.