POWER ELECTRONICS - A TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

The era of modern power electronics began with the advent of power semiconductor devices in the 1950's. Since then, many inventions of devices, converter circuits, controls, and applications have enriched the technology. Power electronics is expected to have an increasing influence on a nation's industrial productivity, energy conservation, and urban pollution problems in the coming decades. The paper gives a comprehensive state-of-the-art technology review of power electronics that includes a discussion of power semiconductor devices, power intergrated circuits, converter circuits, and applications. Technology trends have been indicated wherever possible.