The insulated-gate bipolar transistor is a voltage-controlled switch used primarily in high-power applications. It uses an isolated gate to control the device, requiring very little drive current, while the main conduction path operates like a bipolar junction transistor to handle massive currents with low forward voltage drop. They are the standard choice for variable-frequency drives, electric vehicle inverters, and industrial welders.
The motor controller faulted out because one of the high-side IGBTs shorted and blew the main fuse.
Do not mix it up with
- MOSFET: MOSFETs switch faster and are better for low voltages, whereas IGBTs handle much higher voltages and currents but switch more slowly.
Related terms
MOSFET
A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor is a voltage-controlled switch used to amplify or switch electronic signals.
Power electronics
The branch of electrical engineering focused on the conversion and control of electric power.
Power inverter
An electronic device or circuit that changes direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC).
Gate off
To turn a transistor or thyristor off by manipulating the voltage at its gate terminal.