Control device for power semiconductor switch

• US 10,644,687 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semikron Elektronik GmbH & Company KG (Heilbronner Holding GbR)
• Original Assignee: Semikron Elektronik GmbH & Company KG (Heilbronner Holding GbR)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai L
• Application Number:
  US16/362,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• 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 17/04106 in field-effect transistor switches H03K17/0412, H03K17/0416 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0412 by measures taken in the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/163 Soft switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/168 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/012 Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption

Abstract

A control device for a power semiconductor switch, includes an actuating device, a first current path, a second current path, which connects the second output of the actuating device to a circuit node of the control device in an electrically conductive manner, wherein the second current path incorporates an electrical switching off resistor which is electrically connected in-circuit between a second output of the actuating device and the circuit node of the control device, a third current path, which connects the circuit node of the control device to a control device terminal of the control device in an electrically conductive manner, and an switching off acceleration circuit, which is electrically connected in parallel with the switching off resistor, comprising a diode, an electrical resistor, and a capacitor which is electrically connected in parallel with said resistor, wherein the cathode of the diode is connected to a second electrical terminal of the capacitor in an electrically conductive manner, and a first electrical terminal of the capacitor is connected to a first terminal of the switching off resistor, which is electrically oriented towards the actuating device in an electrically conductive manner, and the anode of the diode is connected to a second electrical terminal of the switching off resistor in an electrically conductive manner.

Claims

1. A control device for a power semiconductor switch, having a first and a second load current terminal and a control terminal, comprising:

a first electrical control device terminal, provided for electrical connection with the first load current terminal;

a second electrical control device terminal, provided for electrical connection with the control terminal;

an actuating device, which is designed, in accordance with a control signal (A), to generate a first actuating voltage on its first output for the switching on of the power semiconductor switch, and to generate a second actuating voltage on its second output for the switching off of the power semiconductor switch, in a mutually alternating manner;

a first current path, which connects the first output of the actuating device to a circuit node of the control device in an electrically conductive manner;

a second current path, which connects the second output of the actuating device to the circuit node of the control device in an electrically conductive manner, wherein the second current path incorporates an electrical switching off resistor (Roff) which is electrically connected in-circuit between the second output of the actuating device and the circuit node of the control device;

a third current path, which connects the circuit node of the control device to the second control device terminal in an electrically conductive manner; and

an switching off acceleration circuit, which is electrically connected in parallel with the switching off resistor (Roff), comprising a diode, an electrical resistor, and a capacitor which is electrically connected in parallel with said resistor, wherein the cathode of the diode is connected to a second electrical terminal of the capacitor in an electrically conductive manner, and a first electrical terminal of the capacitor is connected to a first electrical terminal of the switching off resistor (Roff), which is electrically oriented towards the actuating device in an electrically conductive manner, and the anode of the diode is connected to a second electrical terminal of the switching off resistor (Roff) in an electrically conductive manner.

2. The control device, according to claim 1, wherein:

the resistance value of the resistor in the switching off acceleration circuit is at least 10% greater than the resistance value of the switching off resistor.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the power semiconductor switch incorporates an electrical gate series resistor which is integrated in said power semiconductor switch.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the third current path incorporates an electrical actuating gate series resistor which is electrically connected between the circuit node of the actuating device and the second control device terminal.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first current path incorporates an electrical switching on resistor, which is electrically connected between the first output of the actuating device and the circuit node of the control device.

6. A power semiconductor circuit, having a power semiconductor switch and having a control device for said power semiconductor switch, which is configured according to claim 1, wherein:

the first control device terminal is connected to the first load current terminal of the power semiconductor switch in an electrically conductive manner, and the second control device terminal is connected to the control terminal of the power semiconductor switch in an electrically conductive manner.