A Guide To Second Sourcing Rectifiers

Focus:

When there are supply chain issues or a supplier designates parts for “end-of-life,” it may become necessary to second source rectifiers. This article describes problems that can occur when doing so and offers guidance on how to avoid these problems. Component testing is necessary in many cases. But designers need to understand the suppliers’ manufacturing processes, the device technology, how suppliers test and specify their datasheet parameters, and the suppliers’ test programs and statistics, as explained in this article. The article begins by discussing key rectifier parameters that apply to rectifiers in general including surge current and breakdown voltage ratings, thermal ratings, leakage current and avalanche rating. The article then goes into the details that apply when cross referencing specific rectifier types such as bridge rectifiers, fast recovery and fast efficient rectifiers, Schottky diodes, TVS diodes, small-signal products and zeners.

What you’ll learn:

• How to second source rectifiers for power electronics applications
• How to understand rectifier data sheets and the industry practices that influence them

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Author & Publication:

Jos van Loo, Taiwan Semiconductor Europe, Zorneding, Germany and Kevin Parmenter, Taiwan Semiconductor America, Chandler, Ariz., How2Power Today, Jan 17 2020

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