Power semiconductor device
![Fig. 1: The power devices family, showing the principal power switches.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Power_devices_family4634.png")
![Fig.2 : Current/Voltage/switching frequency domains of the main power electronics switches.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Switches_domain.svg4634.png")
![A power device is usually attached to a heatsink to remove the heat caused by operation losses.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Thermal_stack.svg4634.png")
![The power semiconductor die of a three-terminal device (IGBT, MOSFET or BJT). Two contacts are on top of the die, the remaining one is on the back.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Power_die.svg4634.png")
A power semiconductor device is a semiconductor device used as a switch or rectifier in power electronics; a switch-mode power supply is an example. Such a device is also called a power device or, when used in an integrated circuit, a power IC.
A power semiconductor device is usually used in "commutation mode" (i.e., it is either on or off), and therefore has a design optimized for such usage; it should usually not be used in linear operation.