Switching characteristics and PSPICE model of an MCT

The authors present a gate control circuit for an MCT (MOS controlled thyristor) and study its switching characteristics. The response times and switching loss are accurately measured under different operating conditions. The authors also present a simple PSPICE circuit model for the MCT which can be used to analyze MCT power converters. The parameters of the model are determined from the manufacturer´s specifications and some simple measurements. The complete circuit of a DC chopper was simulated using PSPICE, and the simulated responses are compared with the experimental responses