Semiconductor device, power conversion device, driving device, vehicle, and elevator

• US 10,483,839 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Jue
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Trinh Q
• Application Number:
  US15/896,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20190140536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/00 Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/04 Measuring peak values or amplitude or envelope of ac or of pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3277 of low voltage devices, e.g. domestic or industrial devices, such as motor protections, relays, rotation switches
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/42 AC power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/34 Snubber circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/346 Passive non-dissipative snubbers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters

Abstract

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a first capacitor having a first end and a first the other end, the first end for electrically connecting to at least one of a first electrode and a second electrode of a transistor having the first electrode, the second electrode, and a gate electrode; a first diode having a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to the first the other end; a second capacitor having a second end and a second the other end, the second end electrically connected to the first cathode; a sample and hold circuit electrically connected to the first cathode and the second end; a switch electrically connected in parallel with the second capacitor between the second end and the second the other end; and a second diode having a second anode and a second cathode, the second cathode electrically connected to the first the other end and the first anode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first capacitor having a first end and a first another end, the first end for electrically connecting to at least one of a first electrode and a second electrode of a transistor having the first electrode, the second electrode, and a gate electrode;

a first diode having a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to the first another end;

a second capacitor having a second end and a second another end, the second end electrically connected to the first cathode;

a sample and hold circuit electrically connected to the first cathode and the second end;

a switch electrically connected in parallel with the second capacitor between the second end and the second another end; and

a second diode having a second anode and a second cathode, the second cathode electrically connected to the first another end and the first anode,

wherein a power supply voltage V_DD of the transistor, a capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor, and a capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor satisfy 15V≤

(C₁V_DD)/(C₁+C₂).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first diode has a Schottky barrier diode.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first capacitor and the second capacitor are film capacitors or ceramic capacitors.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor is 1/10 or less of an output capacitance of the transistor.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor is 100 pF or more.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the first diode further has a PN diode.

7. The device according to claim 6,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the third anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the third cathode is electrically connected to the fourth anode, and the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the second end.

8. The device according to claim 6,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the fourth anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the third anode, and the third cathode is electrically connected to the second end.

9. A power conversion device comprising:

a transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a gate electrode;

a first capacitor having a first end and a first another end, the first end electrically connected to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

a first diode having a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to the first another end;

a second capacitor having a second end and a second another end, the second end electrically connected to the first cathode;

a sample and hold circuit electrically connected to the first cathode and the second end;

a switch electrically connected in parallel with the second capacitor between the second end and the second another end;

a second diode having a second anode and a second cathode, the second cathode electrically connected to the first another end and the first anode;

a variable resistor electrically connected to the gate electrode; and

a controller configured to control a resistance value of the variable resistor based on a voltage value output from the sample and hold circuit.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the first diode has a Schottky barrier diode.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the first capacitor and the second capacitor are film capacitors or ceramic capacitors.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein

a power supply voltage V_DD of the transistor, a capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor, and a capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor satisfy 15V≤

(C₁V_DD)/(C₁+C₂)×

V_dd.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein

a capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor is 1/10 or less of an output capacitance of the transistor.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein

a capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor is 100 pF or more.

15. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

an analog-digital converter connected to the sample and hold circuit.

16. A driving device comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 9.

17. A vehicle comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 9.

18. An elevator comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 9.

19. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the first diode further has a PN diode.

20. The device according to claim 19,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the third anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the third cathode is electrically connected to the fourth anode, and the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the second end.

21. The device according to claim 19,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the fourth anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the third anode, and the third cathode is electrically connected to the second end.

22. A power conversion device comprising:

a transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a gate electrode;

a first capacitor having a first end and a first another end, the first end electrically connected to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode;

a first diode having a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to the first another end;

a second capacitor having a second end and a second another end, the second end electrically connected to the first cathode;

a sample and hold circuit electrically connected to the first cathode and the second end;

a switch electrically connected in parallel with the second capacitor between the second end and the second another end;

a second diode having a second anode and a second cathode, the second cathode electrically connected to the first another end and the first anode,

wherein a power supply voltage V_DD of the transistor, a capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor, and a capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor satisfy 15V≤

(C₁V_DD)/(C₁+C₂)×

V_dd.

23. The device according to claim 22, further comprising:

a variable resistor electrically connected to the gate electrode; and

a controller configured to control a resistance value of the variable resistor based on a voltage value output from the sample and hold circuit.

24. The device according to claim 22, wherein

the first diode has a Schottky barrier diode.

25. The device according to claim 22, wherein

the first capacitor and the second capacitor are film capacitors or ceramic capacitors.

26. The device according to claim 22, wherein

the capacitance C₁ of the first capacitor is 1/10 or less of an output capacitance of the transistor.

27. The device according to claim 22, wherein

the capacitance C₂ of the second capacitor is 100 pF or more.

28. The device according to claim 22, further comprising:

an analog-digital converter connected to the sample and hold circuit.

29. A driving device comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 22.

30. A vehicle comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 22.

31. An elevator comprising:

the power conversion device according to claim 22.

32. The device according to claim 24, wherein

the first diode further has a PN diode.

33. The device according to claim 32,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the third anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the third cathode is electrically connected to the fourth anode, and the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the second end.

34. The device according to claim 32,

wherein the Schottky barrier diode has a third anode and a third cathode, the PN diode has a fourth anode and a fourth cathode, the fourth anode is electrically connected to the first another end, the fourth cathode is electrically connected to the third anode, and the third cathode is electrically connected to the second end.