Devices and methods for driving a semiconductor switching device

• US 10,622,994 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vishay Siliconix
• Original Assignee: Vishay-Siliconix LLC (Vishay Intertechnology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Havanur, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US16/002,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20190379375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 327108-112
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04123 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/567 Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6872 using complementary field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6877 the control circuit comprising active elements different from those used in the output circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/066 Maximizing the OFF-resistance instead of minimizing the ON-resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0081 Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver

Abstract

A driver for a semiconductor switching device can be configured to step down a supply voltage to generate a first drive voltage. The driver can also generate a second drive voltage equal to the potential difference between the supply voltage and the first drive voltage. The driver can supply the first drive voltage to a control gate of the semiconductor switching device during a first state of a control signal, and a reverse polarity of the second drive voltage during a second state of the control signal.

Claims

1. A driver comprising:

a voltage regulator configured to generate a first drive voltage from a supply voltage, wherein the first drive voltage is less than the supply voltage;

a storage element configured to store a second drive voltage; and

a drive controller configured to provide the first drive voltage at an output of the driver and a difference between the supply voltage and the first drive voltage as the second drive voltage to the storage element in response to a first state of a control signal, and to provide a reverse polarity of the second drive voltage at the output of the driver in response to a second state of the control signal.

2. The driver of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to maintain a substantially constant value of the first drive voltage.

3. The driver of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to maintain a substantially constant value of the second drive voltage.

4. The driver of claim 1, wherein the drive controller comprises:

a first switching element coupled between the supply voltage and the storage element;

a second switching element coupled between the first drive voltage and the output of the driver,

a third switching element coupled between the storage element and a ground potential of the driver; and

a controller logic configured to close the first and second switching elements and open the third switching element in a first state of the control signal, and to open the first and second switching elements and close the third switching element in a second state of the control signal.

5. The driver of claim 1, wherein the storage element comprises a first capacitor.

6. The driver of claim 5, wherein the drive controller comprises:

an inverter including an input for receiving the control signal;

a first P-type MOSFET including a source coupled to the supply voltage, a drain coupled to the first capacitor, and a gate coupled to an output of the inverter;

a second P-type MOSFET including a source coupled to the first drive voltage, a drain coupled to an output of the driver, and a gate coupled to the output of the inverter;

a first N-type MOSFET including a drain coupled to the first capacitor, a source coupled to the ground potential, and a gate coupled to an output of the inverter; and

the first capacitor coupled between the output of the driver and the drains of both the first and third transistors.

7. The driver of claim 6, wherein the control signal comprises a pulse width modulation signal.

8. The driver of claim 6, further comprising:

a first resistor coupled between the drain of the second P-type MOSFET and the gate output of the driver;

a second resistor coupled between the second terminal of the first capacitor and the output of the driver; and

a voltage clamp coupled between the output of the driver and the ground potential.

9. The driver of claim 1, further comprising a charge circuit configured to pre-charge the storage element to the first drive voltage.

10. The driver of claim 4, further comprising:

a current source coupled to the first terminal of the storage element;

a fourth switching element coupled to the output of the driver; and

the controller logic further configured to open the first, second and third switching elements and close the fourth switching element in a startup or suspend mode.

11. The driver of claim 10, wherein the controller logic is further configured to disable the current source and open the fourth switching element during normal operation.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a switching device;

a driver including a gate terminal coupled to a control terminal of the switching device, and a ground terminal coupled a source of the switching device, the driver further including;

a voltage regulator configured to generate a first drive voltage from a supply voltage, wherein first drive voltage is less than the supply voltage;

a first storage element configured to store a second drive voltage; and

a drive controller configured to provide the first drive voltage at the control terminal of the switching device and a difference between the supply voltage and the first drive voltage as the second drive voltage to the first storage element in response to a first state of a control signal, and to provide a reverse polarity of the second drive voltage at the control terminal of the switching device in response to a second state of the control signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises a Wide Band Gap (WBG) power semiconductor.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT).

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises a Gallium Nitride (GaN) Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET).

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises a Silicon (Si) MOSFET.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT).

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the drive controller comprises:

a first switching element coupled between the supply voltage and the first storage element;

a second switching element coupled between the first drive voltage and the gate output of the driver;

a third switching element coupled between the first storage element and a ground potential; and

a controller logic configured to close the first and second switching elements and open the third switching elements in a first state of the control signal, and to open the first and second switching element and close the third switching element in the second state of the control signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first, second and third switching elements and the controller logic are monolithically fabricated in an integrated circuit (IC).

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first and second storage elements are externally coupled to the integrated circuit (IC).

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first, second and third switching elements are co-packaged with the controller logic.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first storage element is co-packaged with the controller logic and the first, second and third switching elements.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first storage element is externally coupled to the co-packaged controller logic and first, second and third switching elements.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first, second and third switching elements are externally coupled to the controller logic.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first storage element is externally coupled to the controller logic.

26. A switching device driver method comprising:

receiving a supply voltage at a supply terminal;

receiving a control signal at an input;

stepping down the supply voltage to a first drive voltage;

generating a second drive voltage based on a potential difference between the supply voltage and the first drive voltage; and

outputting the first drive voltage in response to a first state of the control signal and a reverse polarity of the second drive voltage in response to a second state of the control signal at an output.

27. The switching device driver method of claim 26, wherein generating the second drive voltage comprises coupling the supply voltage to a first terminal of a first storage element and coupling the first drive voltage to a second terminal of the first storage element in response to the first state of the control signal.

28. The switching device driver method of claim 27, wherein:

outputting the first drive voltage comprises coupling the first drive voltage to the output in response to the first state of the control signal; and

outputting the reverse polarity of the second drive voltage comprises coupling the second terminal of the first storage element to the output and the first terminal of the first storage element to a ground terminal in response to the second state of the control signal.

29. The switching device driver method of claim 26, further comprising:

enabling the switching device driver method when the supply voltage is within an operational level; and

disabling the switching device driver method when the supply voltage is below the operational level.

30. The switching device driver method of claim 29, further comprising:

charging the first storage element to the second drive voltage before enabling the switching device driver method.

31. The switching device driver method of claim 29, further comprising:

charging the first storage element to the second drive voltage when the control signal is in the second state for more than a predetermined amount of time.