Modeling of High-Voltage Nonpunch-Through PIN Diode Snappy Reverse Recovery and Its Optimal Suppression Method Based on RC Snubber Circuit

Abstract

The snappy reverse recovery (SRR) and failure of high-voltage nonpunch-through (NPT) PIN diodes under extreme working conditions are of great significance to the reliability evaluation of operating diodes in actual power electronic devices. In this article, the analysis of the physical mechanism of the diode SRR and the restrictions of the traditional PT-PIN diode model are made. Then, the traditional model for soft recovery is improved in order to accurately describe the diode SRR characteristics. Simulations of key dynamic performances of the established model agree well with the experimental results. Furthermore, a suppression method for diode SRR based on the optimal RC snubber circuit is proposed. A high-voltage NPT-PIN diode used in the dc−dc converter with different RC snubber circuits is simulated using the proposed diode snappy model and tested. The comparison results show good consistency between the simulated and measured voltage and current peaks and the diode SRR are suppressed effectively. The developed model and results are of much importance to the prediction of the safe operation area of the diode and to the reliability improvement of power electronic device.