Application Note AN-301

Qspeed™ Family
Reverse Recovery Charge, Current and Time

Abstract
When a power diode is quickly reverse biased region of PN-junction-based devices. All stored
while it is conducting a high forward current charge must be removed so that the depletion
(hard switching), a finite amount of time is region can become big enough to block the
required to clear it of charge carriers so that it reverse voltage. In order to block a high reverse
can block the reverse voltage. The amount of voltage (600 V), those diodes require a wide drift
time it takes a hard-switched diode to recover region. The wider the drift region, the more
(tRR) has been the typical performance metric minority charge carriers it can contain during
used to evaluate diode reverse recovery. forward conduction. Semi-conductor design
However, the amplitude of the reverse current engineers can use various techniques to control
that flows through the diode during the recovery the duration or the lifetime of minority carriers,
time is a better measure of the performance in a such as introducing recombination centers in the
power conversion circuit than tRR alone. This drift region of the device structure.
application note will show why the QRR (the
integral of the recovery current over the recovery Recombination centers effectively shorten the
time) of devices being compared should be used lifetime of the minority carriers injected by the
to predict in-circuit performance. Additionally, anode. Shortening minority carrier lifetime
softness factor will be explained, along with why reduces the QRR, IRR and tRR of the device.
a high softness ratio is important.
Softness Factor
Introduction The IR Softness is the ratio of the two parts of
A diode’s reverse recovery characteristics are the reverse recovery current: stored charge
quantified by three parameters: the reverse removal and the return to zero current. Softness
recovery time (tRR), the reverse recovery current is calculated by dividing the time required to
(IRR), and the reverse recovery charge (QRR). remove the stored charge carriers from the
IRR, tRR and QRR are the three main parameters diode (ta) into the time it takes for the resultant
that are used to characterize the diode’s reverse reverse current to fall from its peak negative
recovery behavior, and are typically specified on value (IRR_PEAK) back to zero (tb). Softness =
the datasheet. Another parameter that is not tb/ta, and the parts of the waveform are shown in
always specified on the datasheet is the Figure 2. The softness of a device’s IRR will
softness of the diode’s IRR waveform. Those depend on the lifetime control technique used to
four parameters are determined by the reduce QRR. The softness factor can easily be
manufacturing processes used to produce a calculated for diodes that do not have this
particular device family. parameter specified in their data sheets.
Platinum (Pt) doping can limit tRR significantly,
Diode Reverse Recovery Parameters but it produces an abrupt, snappy cessation of
IRR, like that shown Figure 1. It is clear from the
The QRR of a power diode is a direct measure of curves in Figure 1 that reducing QRR lowers IRR
its stored charge; either from the barrier junction and tRR. However, the reduction of tRR
capacitance of Schottky devices or the minority
carriers that flow within the cathode and drift

www.powerint.com January 2011

 AN-301

Boost Diode Reverse Recovery Current (IRR)

400 V VREVERSE, 8 A IFORWARD, 200 A/us (di/dt), 125 oC Junction Temperature
8

4
Diode Current, Amps

-2

-4

-6

-8
10 35 60 85 110 135 160
time, nano-seconds

Figure 1. The IRR waveforms of some commonly used PN-junction boost diodes and the QRR values that were
measured for each device. [1].

Figure 2. An IRR waveform that shows the two recovery segments that make up the softness ratio.

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 AN-301

obtained by platinum doping does not shows the dependence of QRR on junction
significantly lower the QRR and IRR of the device. temperature, for the same three diodes shown in
Figure 1. The Q-Series family of parts was
Although the tRR of the Q-Series and a Platinum designed so that the QRR of all devices have a
doped device are about equal, the peak IRR of low, positive temperature coefficient. That
the Platinum doped diode is more than two means that the QRR, IRR and tRR of those diodes
times the value of the Q-Series diode. will not increase significantly over the normal
operating junction temperature range.
Abrupt recovery also produces excessive EMI
and voltage stress across the diode, which The fact that the QRR and IRR of the Q-Series
requires snubber circuitry or larger EMI filter devices remain consistently low, over a normal
components. Soft recovery reduces voltage operating temperature range, can help to ensure
stress and EMI, without the use of snubbers. that power supply efficiency and EMI remain
within specification, even at the worst-case
Junction Temperature and QRR, IRR operating conditions.
and tRR
In PN-junction based power diodes, QRR, IRR and Summary
tRR vary with junction temperature. Thermal The QRR of PN-junction, power diodes has been
interference slows down minority carrier shown to be a more accurate performance
recombination as junction temperature increases metric than its tRR, since devices with low tRR do
[2]. Therefore, QRR, IRR and tRR will all increase not necessarily have low QRR and IRR.
as the junction temperature rises. Figure 3

Reverse Recovery Charge (QRR) versus Junction Temperature

350

300
Qrr, nano-Coulombs

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Junction Temperature, Degrees Centigrade
Figure 3: Plots of QRR versus junction temperature for some commonly used boost diodes [3].

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 AN-301

Additionally, the softness of a diode’s IRR

waveform will determine if snubber circuits will
be required to use it safely and to meet
conducted and radiated EMI test limits.

References
1. Data taken on device characterization test
fixture, Apr., 2007.
2. W. Shockley, W.T. Read, “Statistics of the
recombination of holes and electrons”,
Physical Review, Vol. 87, No. 5, pages 835-
842, September, 1952.
3. Data taken on device characterization test
fixture, Oct., 2007.

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 AN-301

Revision Notes Date

1.2 Released by Qspeed 04/08
1.3 Converted to Power Integrations Document 01/11

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 AN-301

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