A semiconductor device includes a junction field effect transistor (JFET) including a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode, and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) including a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode. The JFET and the MOSFET are cascode-connected such that the source electrode of the JFET and the drain electrode of the MOSFET are electrically connected. A gate voltage dependency of the JFET or a capacitance ratio of a mirror capacitance of the MOSFET to an input capacitance of the MOSFET is adjusted in a predetermined range.

A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor that are switched in a complementary manner. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.

A gate driver system includes a gate driver circuit coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and configured to generate an on-current during a plurality of turn-on switching events to turn on the transistor, wherein the gate driver circuit includes a first driver configured to source a first portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a first portion of the gate voltage and a second driver configured to, during a first boost interval, source a second portion of the on-current to the gate terminal to charge a second portion of the gate voltage; a measurement circuit configured to measure a transistor parameter indicative of an oscillation of a load current for a turn-on switching event; and a controller configured to receive the measured transistor parameter and regulate a length of the first boost interval based on the measured transistor parameter.

A gate drive circuit of a wide band gap power device (IGBT) includes a buffer, a di/dt sensing network, a turn-on circuit portion and turn-off circuit portion. The buffer, responsive to turn-on, supplies a first current via the first current path to the gate of the IGBT, and responsive to turn-off ceases the supply of the first current. The di/dt sensing network receives a feedback control signal representative of a voltage measurement across a parasitic inductance that exists between a Kelvin emitter and a power emitter of the The turn-on circuit portion, responsive to turn-on and a parasitic inductance of zero volts, supplies a second current via a second current path to the gate of the IGBT. The turn-off circuit portion, responsive to turn-off and a parasitic inductance of zero volts, discharges a gate capacitance of the IGBT through both the first current path and a third current path.

A gate drive circuit that drives a power device by controlling charge and discharge of gate capacitance of the power device includes: a first semiconductor switch that charges the gate capacitance by being brought into conduction according to a first control signal; a second semiconductor switch that discharges the gate capacitance by being brought into conduction according to a second control signal; and a slew rate control circuit that is connected between a gate of the power device and a ground line, and controls a slew rate during discharge. The slew rate control circuit includes a capacitor and a third semiconductor switch connected in series. The third semiconductor switch is brought into conduction according to the second control signal.

A method is provided for driving a half bridge circuit that includes a first transistor and a second transistor that are switched in a complementary manner. The method includes generating an off-current during a plurality of turn-off switching events to control a gate voltage of the second transistor; measuring a transistor parameter of the second transistor during a first turn-off switching event during which the second transistor is transitioned to an off state, wherein the transistor parameter is indicative of an oscillation at the first transistor during a corresponding turn-on switching event during which the first transistor is transitioned to an on state; and activating a portion of the off-current for the second turn-off switching event, including regulating an interval length of the second portion for the second turn-off switching event based on the measured transistor parameter measured during the first turn-off switching event.

The present invention provides a drive device and a power supply system capable of driving a power transistor with low power while reflecting variations in manufacture process and external environments. A trigger detection circuit monitors a voltage between terminals or a current between terminals in a switching period of a power transistor and detects that the voltage between terminals or the current between terminals reaches a predetermined reference value. A current switching circuit selects a register outputting a current value to a variable current driver circuit from a plurality of registers and switches the register to be selected using a detection result of the trigger detection circuit as a trigger in the switching period, thereby making the drive current of the variable current driver circuit shift.

Routing of a gate signal for controlling a discrete power switching device (such as in an inverter for an electric vehicle drive) is configured to compensate for the common source inductance inherent in the switching device as a result of its integrated circuit packaging. The power device has a gate signal path via a gate pin and a power signal path via first and second power pins, wherein the gate signal path and the power signal path have a first mutual inductance. A circuit board apparatus provides a gate wiring loop juxtaposed with the power signal path, wherein the gate wiring loop and the power signal path have a second mutual inductance substantially canceling the first mutual inductance. The resulting reduction in common source inductance avoids the reductions in switching speed and the increased switching losses otherwise introduced by the common source inductance.

An electric assembly includes a bipolar switching device and a transistor circuit. The transistor circuit is electrically connected in parallel with the bipolar switching device and includes a normally-on wide bandgap transistor.

A fully integrated GaN driver comprising a digital logic signal inverter, a level shifter circuit, a UVLO circuit, an output buffer stage, and (optionally) a FET to be driven, all integrated in a single package. The level shifter circuit converts a ground reference 0-5 V digital signal at the input to a 0-10 V digital signal at the output. The output drive circuitry includes a high side GaN FET that is inverted compared to the low side GaN FET. The inverted high side GaN FET allows switch operation, rather than a source follower topology, thus providing a digital voltage to control the main FET being driven by the circuit.