ABSTRACT
GTOs have the I2t withstand capability and hence can be protected by semiconductor fuses. For reliable operation of GTOs, the critical aspects are proper design of the gate turn-oœ circuit and the snubber circuit. A GTO has a poor turn-oœ current gain of the order of four to šve. For example, a 2000 A peak current GTO may require as high as 500 A of reverse gate current. Also, a GTO has the tendency to latch at temperatures above 125°C. GTOs are available up to about 6500 V, 4000 A.
