ABSTRACT
Essentially, power electronics is concerned with the control of power going from a source to a load component in a desired manner. The power flow may be through a single power electronic circuit or through a suitable combination of several power electronic circuits. A power electronic circuit ideally requires a switch that can be closed and opened at desired instances to facilitate this power flow. A mechanical switch may take a few seconds for closing and opening, and hence is not suitable for effective power control. A semiconductor switching device requires only a few microseconds for closing and opening, therefore allowing it to regulate power flow quickly and efficiently. Thus, a power semiconductor working as a switching element is the heart of any power electronic circuit. However, these devices are not ideal switches because they have finite turn-ON and turn-OFF times as well as conduction losses. These devices largely influence the operation of any power converter circuit, so it is mandatory to study these devices in detail. While there are a variety of switching devices, only a few are dealt with in this book.
