Power switching devices include a semiconductor layer structure that has an active region and an inactive region. The active region includes a plurality of unit cells and the inactive region includes a field insulating layer on the semiconductor layer structure and a gate bond pad on the field insulating layer opposite the semiconductor layer structure. A gate insulating pattern is provided on the semiconductor layer structure between the active region and the field insulating layer, and at least one source/drain contact is provided on the semiconductor layer structure between the gate insulating pattern and the field insulating layer.

An electric apparatus includes: a first stacked body in which a first semiconductor chip having a first switch is stacked on a first mounting portion; a second stacked body in which a second semiconductor chip having a second switch is stacked on a second mounting portion; a temperature sensor provided in the first stacked body to detect a temperature of the first switch; and a current sensor provided in the second stacked body to detect a current flowing through the second switch. The second stacked body has a heat dissipation property higher than that of the first stacked body.

A switching circuit has a primary MOSFET switch connected between first and second terminals that are connected to a power line and a load represented as a resistance and inductance. The primary switch is operable by primary control commands to assume a conductive or non-conductive state. Four protection branches are connected in parallel with the primary switch, each having a series connected resistive element and a secondary MOSFET switch operable by branch control commands received at branch command terminals to assume a conductive or non-conductive state. A timing circuit applies branch turn off control commands in sequence to the branch command terminals, each delayed by a different predetermined time interval relative to when a primary turn off control command is applied to the primary switch.

An electronic switch includes switching modules to change a forward resistance of a semiconductor switch via a drive circuit depending on data exchanged via a data interface and depending on measurement values of a current sensor. The semiconductor switches of the switching modules are arranged electrically in parallel and a current through the electronic switch is divided among the semiconductor switches. The electronic switch controls a division of the current through the electronic switch among the semiconductor switches via the drive circuits by changing a forward resistance of the semiconductor switches, synchronously switches the semiconductor switches via the drive circuit and operates the semiconductor switches in a linear region in a time range of 1 μs to 10 μs upon a change between ON and OFF and a change between OFF and ON in such a way that the current through the switching modules is reduced in a controlled manner.

This application provides a control method for a switching apparatus. The switching apparatus includes at least two switching devices connected in parallel, a minimum pulse width limit of the first switching device is less than a minimum pulse width limit of the second switching device, and the first switching device and the second switching device are in a turn-off state. The method includes: obtaining on-state holding time of the switching apparatus; controlling the at least two switching devices to remain in a cut-off state when the on-state holding time is less than the minimum pulse width limit of the first switching device; and controlling the first switching device to perform a switching operation when the on-state holding time is greater than or equal to the minimum pulse width limit of the first switching device. The application can reduce a loss of the switching device and reduce output distortion.

A switching control circuit configured to control a switching device. The switching control circuit includes a detection circuit configured to detect whether a current flowing through the switching device is in an overcurrent state, a first signal output circuit configured to output a first signal indicating whether a time period of the overcurrent state is longer than a first time period, and a driving circuit. The driving circuit turns on the switching device based on a first input signal. The driving circuit turns off the switching device through a first switch based on a second input signal when the time period of the overcurrent state is shorter than the first time period, and through a second switch, having a greater on-resistance than the first switch, based on the second input signal and the first signal when the time period of the overcurrent state is longer than the first time period.

A semiconductor device includes: first and second power transistors connected in parallel with each other and having different saturated currents; and a gate driver driving the first and second power transistors with individual gate voltages, respectively, the gate driver includes a drive circuit receiving an input signal and outputting a drive signal, a first amplifier amplifying the drive signal in accordance with first power voltage and supplying the amplified drive signal to a gate of the first power transistor, and a second amplifier amplifying the drive signal in accordance with second power voltage different from the first power voltage and supplying the amplified drive signal to a gate of the second power transistor.

Current imbalances between parallel switching devices in a power converter half leg are reduced. A gate driver generates a nominal PWM gate drive signal for a respective half leg. A first feedback loop couples the nominal PWM gate drive signal to a gate terminal of a respective first switching device. The first feedback loop has a first mutual inductance with a current path of a first parallel switching device and has a second mutual inductance with a current path of a second parallel switching device. The first and second mutual inductances are arranged to generate opposing voltages in the first feedback loop, so that when all the parallel switching devices carry equal current then the voltages cancel.

A gate driver system includes a gate driver having a first input for receiving a digital input signal, a second input for receiving a short circuit protection signal, and output for driving a power device; a current reconstruction circuit having a first input for receiving a voltage across an inductance associated with the power device, a second input for receiving a current associated with the power device, a third input for receiving the digital input signal, and an output for providing a sensed power device current; and a comparator having a first input coupled to the output of the current reconstruction circuit, a second input coupled to a reference, and an output coupled to the second input of the gate driver.

The invention relates to an electrical system (100) comprising at least two modules (200, 300), wherein a module (200, 300) comprises at least one switching element (210, 310). The first module (200) comprises a first switching element (210) made of a first semiconductor material and the second module (300) comprises a second switching element (310) made of a second semiconductor material.