Introduction: Point — The APT50GH120BSC20 is specified for a 1200 V collector–emitter rating and a 50 A nominal collector current, ratings that place it squarely in medium‑power inverters, industrial converters and motor drives. Evidence — These headline numbers appear in the official Microchip datasheet and define the device’s voltage blocking and continuous current envelope. Explanation — This deep dive extracts the datasheet’s critical tables and graphs, interprets implications for conduction and switching loss budgeting, and supplies a compact design checklist for lab validation and thermal sizing.
Point — Capture the absolute limits designers must never exceed: VCES, IC (continuous), IC pulse (single and repetitive), maximum junction temperature (Tj max), storage temperature and VGE max. Evidence — The datasheet’s Absolute Maximum Ratings column lists these limits and any pulse durations or waveform conditions. Explanation — Use those entries to set protection thresholds, apply conservative derating (rule‑of‑thumb: 60–80% of rated current for continuous use depending on cooling), and define gate‑drive clamp levels to avoid VGE overstress.
Point — Copy package type, case drawing, pin numbering, thermal pad dimensions and mounting torque recommendations from the mechanical section. Evidence — The mechanical drawings and recommended PCB footprint in the datasheet specify lead spacing and suggested solder/fastener details. Explanation — Follow PCB thermal pad guidance, short current loops, and place Kelvin sense traces for the emitter to minimize stray inductance and measurement error during switching tests.
Point — Present VCE(sat) (typical/max) vs IC and junction temperature, VGE(th), ICES and blocking characteristics. Evidence — The datasheet’s DC characteristics table and VCE(sat) vs IC curves provide these data points. Explanation — VCE(sat) drives conduction loss (Pd_cond = VCE(sat)×IC); use the worst‑case VCE(sat) at elevated Tj for thermal budget and choose device paralleling or heat sinking accordingly.
Point — Account for temperature dependence: VCE(sat) usually increases with junction temperature while leakage current rises exponentially. Evidence — Characteristic graphs and notes in the datasheet illustrate VCE(sat) vs Tj and ICES vs Tj. Explanation — Thermal design must assume higher conduction losses and larger standby leakage at elevated ambient; include margin in heatsink sizing and enable idle‑mode protections when the converter is offline.
Point — Recreate Turn‑on/Turn‑off waveforms, Eon/Eoff vs IC or VCE, di/dt & dv/dt limits, and gate charge/Qg profiles. Evidence — Each graph in the switching section includes axes labels, test conditions and gate drive values. Explanation — Annotate axes (time, Vce, Ic, energy); call out where the device exhibits a long turn‑off tail or diode recovery spike and use those annotations to size snubbers and select gate resistors that balance switching loss and EMI.
Point — Calculate switching loss as Pswitch = (Eon + Eoff) × fSW × margin. Evidence — Datasheet Eon/Eoff curves provide energy per event vs current or voltage; use the listed test conditions or mark examples as illustrative if test conditions differ. Explanation — For example (illustrative only), with Eon=0.12 J and Eoff=0.18 J at a given Ic, at 10 kHz Pswitch ≈ (0.30 J)×10,000 = 3,000 W per device before margins — clearly showing why realistic Eon/Eoff values and tail energy matter for system thermal design.
Point — Extract RthJC (and RthCH if present) and follow recommended mounting to achieve datasheet thermal performance. Evidence — The thermal section lists RthJC and recommended torque/insulator/grease notes. Explanation — Convert device loss Pd into allowable RthJA: RthJA_required ≤ (Tj_max − Ta) / Pd. Step‑by‑step: estimate Pd, pick Ta, solve for RthJA, then choose heatsink or cooling to meet that limit with margin.
Point — Read DC, pulsed and repetitive SOA plots to verify allowable VCE vs IC for given pulse durations and temperatures. Evidence — SOA figures map current vs voltage for multiple pulse widths and for different junction temperatures. Explanation — For inductive switching, follow the time‑dependent SOA lines, avoid intersecting the DC line during avalanche or hard switching, and apply derating for elevated Tj and repetitive duty cycles.
Point — Compare columns: VCE(sat), Eon/Eoff, RthJC, SOA limit lines, and anti‑parallel diode recovery characteristics. Evidence — A compact table with parameter, this part’s value and competitors’ entries makes selection decisions straightforward. Explanation — Use that table to spot tradeoffs: lower VCE(sat) reduces conduction loss; softer diode recovery reduces EMI but can raise switching loss.
Point — Select this part for high‑voltage motor drives needing Field‑Stop behavior and robust SOA; choose alternatives when lower VCE(sat) or different diode recovery is prioritized. Evidence — Matching application profiles to datasheet strengths (switching energy, thermal impedance) guides selection. Explanation — If your topology emphasizes hard switching at high voltage with tight thermal control, the part’s 1200 V/50 A rating and switching profile can be a strong fit.
Point — Reproduce key datasheet plots in lab: DC VCE(sat) vs IC, turn‑on/off waveforms, thermal ramp and SOA pulses. Evidence — Use the same Vdc, Ic, gate voltages and probe points noted in the datasheet test conditions where possible. Explanation — Typical probe points: measure Vce across the device, Ic via low‑resistance shunt, and gate waveform at the driver output; run thermal ramp tests to validate RthJC assumptions and incremental SOA pulsed stress to confirm robustness.
Point — The APT50GH120BSC20 is a 1200V 50A Field‑Stop IGBT family member whose datasheet provides the DC, switching and thermal graphs needed to size conduction and switching losses, design heatsinks, and validate SOA. Evidence — Headline ratings and the suite of tables/plots in the datasheet form the engineering basis for selection. Explanation — Top takeaways: (1) use datasheet Eon/Eoff and gate‑profile graphs for switching loss budgeting; (2) follow thermal mounting guidance and compute RthJA targets from Pd; (3) validate SOA with pulsed tests under realistic thermal conditions. Next steps: download the official datasheet, extract the precise test conditions, and run the bench validation sequence described above.
Extract VCES, continuous IC, single‑pulse IC, maximum junction temperature, storage temperature and VGE max. These set protection thresholds and determine derating; use the datasheet’s specified pulse durations when interpreting pulse current limits.
Read Eon and Eoff at your target Ic and VCE test points, then compute Pswitch = (Eon+Eoff)×fSW with a safety margin. Ensure the datasheet’s test conditions match your operating point or label numerical examples as illustrative if they differ.
Probe VCE across the device with a low‑capacitance high‑voltage probe, measure Ic with a Kelvin‑connected shunt, and record gate voltage at the driver output. Match Vdc, gate amplitude and load current to the datasheet test conditions for valid comparison.