Synchronous rectifier circuits and method for utilizing common source inductance of the synchronous FET

• US 7,492,138 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Zhang, Jason, Yang, Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah; Akm E
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US11/096,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20050265057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 323/224, 323/282, 323/284, 363/21.06, 363/21.14, 363/127
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33592 having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A method of improving the operation of a synchronous rectifier circuit which includes a switching transistor and synchronous transistor, by providing an operatively effective value of inductance in the current path of the synchronous transistor; which is shared by the control terminal circuit path of the transistor and by selecting a synchronous transistor having a low resistance to a control signal provided at the control terminal, as well as improved synchronous rectifier circuits designed according to the method. When the transistors are MOSFETs, the inductance provided is preferably a purely parasitic common source inductance in the range of about 2 nH to about 3 nH. The synchronous transistor exhibits a low value of gate resistance to facilitate fast energy exchange between the common source inductance and the gate-source capacitance.

Claims

1. A synchronous rectifier circuit including a switching transistor, a synchronous transistor, and an operatively effective inductance in the current path of the synchronous transistor, wherein the operatively effective inductance is shared with the control circuit path for the transistor;

wherein

the synchronous transistor is a MOSFET and the inductance is a common source inductance shared by the source-drain power path and a gate driver circuit loop;

wherein a gate drive for the synchronous MOSFET is provided by voltage induced across the common source inductance by current which flows through the common source inductance when the switching transistor is turned off and on; and

wherein a value of the common source inductance is set by selecting the synchronous transistor to provide the common source inductance as a parasitic inductance of the synchronous transistor such that when the switching transistor is turned ON, the common source inductance drives the synchronous MOSFET OFF at an increased rate and when the switching transistor is OFF, the common source inductance drives the synchronous MOSFET ON at an increased rate.

2. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein the inductance is purely parasitic.

3. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein both transistors are MOSFETS and the inductance is purely parasitic common source inductance.

4. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 3, wherein the common source inductance is in the range of about 2 nH to about 3 nH.

5. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein both transistors are MOSFETS and the synchronous MOSFET exhibits a low value of gate resistance.

6. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is a buck converter in which the switching and synchronous transistors are MOSFETS.

7. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 6, wherein the synchronous MOSFET exhibits a low value of gate resistance.

8. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 7, further including a pulse width modulation gate drive circuit for only the switching MOSFET.

9. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein the synchronous transistor exhibits a low value of resistance to a control signal at a control terminal thereof.

10. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 9, further including a pulse width modulation gate drive circuit for only the switching transistor.

11. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 1, further including an isolation transformer with at least one synchronous transistor connected in a series circuit with a secondary winding of the isolation transformer.

12. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 11, wherein the secondary winding is center tapped to provide an output for a load device through a circuit comprised of an output inductor and an output capacitor, and including two synchronous transistors connected in series, each with a respective operatively effective inductance in its current path, across the secondary winding.

13. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 11, further comprising two branches connected in series across the secondary winding, each branch including a synchronous transistor with a respective operatively effective inductance in its current path.

14. A method of improving the operation of a synchronous rectifier circuit which includes a switching transistor and a synchronous transistor, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an operatively effective value of inductance shared by the current path of the synchronous transistor and its control terminal circuit path; and

selecting a synchronous transistor, wherein the synchronous transistor is a MOSFET and the inductance provided is purely a parasitic common source inductance

wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting a MOSFET as the synchronous transistor such that the operatively effective value of inductance is set such that when the switching transistor is turned ON, the inductance drives the synchronous MOSFET OFF at an increased rate and when the switching transistor is OFF, the inductance drives the synchronous MOSFET ON at an increased rate.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein both transistors are MOSFETS.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the common source inductance is in the range of about 2 nH to about 3 nH.

17. A synchronous rectifier circuit according to claim 14, wherein both transistors are MOSFETS and the synchronous MOSFET exhibits a low value of gate resistance.