Ultra high voltage semiconductor power devices for grid applications

Silicon based high voltage semiconductor devices continue to play a major role in megawatt power electronics conversion especially in the fields of traction drives, industrial applications and grid systems. The main development trend of power devices has always been focused on increasing the power ratings while improving the over all device performance in terms of reduced losses, increased robustness, better controllability and reliable behavior under normal and fault conditions. This paper will focus on ultra high voltage devices for grid applications while providing an overview of the recent advancements from the device design and performance viewpoint for enabling the next generation of grid systems.