Emitter turn-off (ETO) thyristor: an emerging, lower cost power semiconductor switch with improved performance for converter-based transmission controllers

The emitter turn-off thyristor (ETO) is a new emerging high power semiconductor switch which combines the advantages of thyristor´s high voltage/current capability and MOS easy gate control. Due to very high silicon utilization and use of conventional thyristor technology, it has much lower cost compared with other competing technologies. Furthermore, it has significantly improved performance in current conduction, turn-off speed, and snubberless turn-off current capability. Future ETO switches under development will also pack with additional features that no-competing technologies offer, including built-in voltage, current and temperature sensing capability, control-power self-generation capability and high-voltage current saturation capability. These capabilities make ETO a very promising power semiconductor device to reduce the cost of converter-based transmission controllers while improving the controller output power, dynamic performance, and operating reliability