Group III-V Voltage Converter with Monolithically Integrated Level Shifter, High Side Driver, and High Side Power Switch

• US 20150162832A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Briere, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US14/554,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20150162832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0255 using diodes as protective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/088 the components being field-effect transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/16 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/205 in different semiconductor regions , e.g. heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7787 with wide bandgap charge-carrier supplying layer, e.g. direct single heterostructure MODFET
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08116 in composite switches H03K17/0812, H03K17/0814 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 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 2017/6875 using self-conductive, depletion FETs
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0063 High side switches, i.e. the higher potential [DC] or life wire [AC] being directly connected to the switch and not via the load

Abstract

There are disclosed herein various implementations of a monolithically integrated high side block. Such a monolithically integrated high side block includes a level shifter, a high side driver coupled to the level shifter, and a high side power switch coupled to the high side driver. The high side power switch is monolithically integrated with the high side driver and the level shifter on a common die. Each of the level shifter, the high side driver, and the high side power switch includes at least one group III-V device.

Claims

1. A monolithically integrated high side block comprising:

a level shifter;

a high side driver coupled to said level shifter;

a high side power switch coupled to said high side driver;

said high side power switch being monolithically integrated with said high side driver and said level shifter;

each of said level shifter, said high side driver, and said high side power switch comprising at least one group III-V device.

2. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a group III-V high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).

3. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a III-Nitride HEMT.

4. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a composite transistor comprising a group III-V HEMT cascoded with a group IV transistor.

5. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a composite transistor comprising a III-Nitride HEMT cascoded with a silicon field-effect transistor (FET).

6. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a group III-V HEMT.

7. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a composite transistor including a group III-V HEMT cascoded with a group IV transistor.

8. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a III-Nitride HEMT.

9. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a composite transistor including a III-Nitride HEMT cascoded with a silicon FET.

10. The monolithically integrated high side block of claim 1, wherein said at least one group III-V device comprises a group III-V HEMT.

11. A voltage converter comprising:

a monolithically integrated high side block comprising a level shifter, a high side driver, and a high side power switch;

a low side driver coupled to a low side power switch;

said monolithically integrated high side block being coupled to said low side power switch at a switch node of said voltage converter;

each of said level shifter, said high side driver, and said high side power switch comprising at least one group III-V device.

12. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein at least one of said low side driver and said low side power switch comprises a group III-V device.

13. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a group III-V high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).

14. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a composite transistor comprising a group III-V HEMT cascoded with a group IV transistor.

15. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a III-Nitride HEMT.

16. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side power switch is a composite transistor comprising a III-Nitride HEMT cascoded with a silicon field-effect transistor (FET).

17. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a group III-V HEMT.

18. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a composite transistor including a group III-V HEMT cascoded with a group IV transistor.

19. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein said at least one group III-V device of said high side driver and said at least one group III-V device of said level shifter comprise a III-Nitride HEMT.

20. The voltage converter of claim 11, wherein at least one of said low side power switch and said low side driver is monolithically integrated with said monolithically integrated high side block.