40 ns reverse recovery — the switching-loss ceiling
The STTH10R04FP is a fast-recovery epitaxial diode from STMicroelectronics rated at 400 V reverse voltage and 10 A average forward current. Its 40 ns reverse recovery time (trr) is the parameter that determines switching losses in hard-switched topologies — a 40 ns trr keeps the recovery charge low enough for continuous-conduction-mode PFC stages and high-frequency rectification in the 50–100 kHz range.
1.7 V forward drop at 10 A — conduction loss budget
That 1.7 V times the average current gives the conduction loss floor — 17 W at full load. The TO-220FPAC full-pack package isolates the tab electrically, so no insulating washer is needed against the heatsink, but the thermal path is through the full plastic body, which adds junction-to-case thermal resistance compared to a standard TO-220.
