A current control element includes a control electrode, a first electrode, and a second electrode, is an element in which a current flowing from the second electrode to the first electrode is controlled by a voltage or a current between the control electrode and the first electrode, and does not include a built-in PN body diode between the first electrode and the second electrode, a rectifying element can be a Schottky barrier diode, a charge amount of the rectifying element at a time of reverse bias is smaller than an output charge amount of the current control element, an anode of the rectifying element and a cathode of the rectifying element are electrically connected to the auxiliary terminal and the second electrode, respectively, and the control electrode, the first electrode, and the second electrode are electrically connected to the control terminal, the first terminal, and the second terminal, respectively.

A method for operating a multi-level bridge power converter of an electrical power system connected to a power grid includes providing a plurality of switching devices of the power converter in an active neutral point clamped topology. The method also includes operating the plurality of switching devices in a plurality of operating states such that current simultaneously flows through at least two parallel recovery paths of the plurality of switching devices during operation of the power converter to minimize a commutation path of the current when at least one diode of the plurality of switching devices recovers, thereby reducing parasitic inductance affecting the recovering antiparallel diode or the switch.

An LLC power converter comprises a switching stage and a resonant tank, the switching stage configured to switch an input power at a switching frequency to apply a switched power to the resonant tank, and the resonant tank includes a resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor, and a parallel inductance. A transformer has a primary winding connected to the resonant tank and a secondary winding. A synchronous rectifier (SR) switch is configured to selectively switch current from the secondary winding to supply a rectified current to a load. An RC filter includes a filter capacitor and a filter resistor connected across the SR switch, with the filter capacitor defining a filter capacitor voltage thereacross. A rectifier driver is configured to drive the SR switch to a conductive state in response to the filter capacitor voltage being less than a threshold value.

A voltage balancing circuit for use in a power converter is described. In one example, a power converter includes series-connected switching transistors for power conversion, and a voltage balancing control loop. The voltage balancing control loop includes a measurement circuit electrically coupled to a transistor in the pair of series-connected switching transistors. The measurement circuit is electrically coupled to measure a body voltage reference of the transistor. The voltage balancing control loop also includes a balancing circuit configured to generate a balancing pulse signal for adjusting a voltage across the transistor using the body voltage reference, and a circuit configured to combine the balancing pulse signal with a gate drive pulse signal for the transistor, to form a balanced gate drive pulse signal for the transistor. The balanced gate drive pulse signal helps to equalize the body diode voltages of the series-connected switching transistors, particularly during “off” periods.

A bidirectional power converter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a main reactor, a plurality of sub-circuits and a controller. The sub-circuits each include an upper switching element, a lower switching element, two diodes, and a sub-reactor. The controller sequentially controls the sub-circuits such that: the lower switching element is turned on and turned off and then the upper switching element is turned on and turned off in each of the sub-circuits, while a current is flowing from the first terminal toward the second terminal; and the upper switching element is turned on and turned off and then, the lower switching element is turned on and turned off in each of the sub-circuits, while the current is flowing from the second terminal toward the first terminal.

A transient current in a rectifier circuit is efficiently reduced. In a rectifier circuit, a first rectifier is provided between the first terminal and a second terminal. In the rectifier circuit, when a switch element is turned ON, a primary winding current flows from a power source to a primary winding in a transformer. When the switch element is turned OFF, a second rectifier current flows from a secondary winding in the transformer to a second rectifier. When the second rectifier current flows, a first reverse voltage is applied between the first terminal and the second terminal. The first reverse voltage is a reverse voltage applied instantaneously.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first and second electrodes, first, fourth, and sixth semiconductor regions of a first conductivity type, a junction region, a fifth semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, and a gate electrode. The junction region includes a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and a third second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type. The second semiconductor regions and the third semiconductor regions are alternately provided in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction. A concentration of at least one first element selected from the group consisting of a heavy metal element and a proton in the junction region is greater a concentration of the first element in the fourth semiconductor region, or a density of traps in the junction region is greater than that in the first semiconductor region and greater than that in the fourth semiconductor region.

A method comprises configuring a power converter to operate as a boost converter, the power converter comprising a low side switch and a high side switch, during a first dead time after turning off the low side switch and before turning on the high side switch, configuring the power converter such that a current of the power converter flows through a high speed diode, and after turning on the high side switch, configuring the power converter such that the current of the power converter flows through a low forward voltage drop diode.

A switching power supply circuit with synchronous rectification has an energy storage component, a SR switch coupled to a secondary side of the energy storage component, and a secondary control circuit. The secondary control circuit has a turning-ON control circuit for providing a turning-ON control signal based on a comparison of a drain to source sensing voltage of the SR switch and a turn ON threshold, a mode determination circuit for providing a mode signal to determine a turn ON delay based on a detection to a transient event or the drain to source sensing voltage ringing of the SR switch, and a gate driver circuit for driving the SR switch. When the turning-ON control signal is asserted, the gate driver circuit charges a gate voltage of the SR switch after the turn ON delay based on the mode signal, to turn ON the SR switch.

An electronic converter includes first and second inputs, first and second outputs, and a switching cell configured to supply current. The switching cell includes a half-bridge including first and second switches connected in series between the two inputs. The half-bridge includes a intermediate point between the first and second switch, a first inductor directly connected to the first output, a second inductor connected to the intermediate point, a first capacitor connected in series with the first and second inductors, a second capacitor connected between the intermediate point and the second input, and a circuit connected between a terminal of the first inductor and the second output. A circuit path of the converter is configured to couple the second inductor with the first output through the first capacitor and the first inductor, and another circuit path is configured to couple the second capacitor with the first output through the first inductor.