Integrated III-nitride power converter circuit

• US 8,063,616 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Bahramian, Hamid Tony, Briere, Michael A, Zhang, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, YOUNGHUIE JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US12/008,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 323312-314, 323269-272, 327538-543, 327/333, 326/62
• US Class Current: 323/271
• 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 17/04 Modifications for accelerating switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/06 Modifications for ensuring a fully conducting state
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/6875 using self-conductive, depletion FETs

Abstract

One disclosed embodiment is a power conversion circuit including a power conversion bridge between a bus voltage and ground, including a switched node for supplying current to an output circuit. A driver section is configured to drive the power conversion bridge that includes a first section and a second section, the first section being between a negative supply voltage and ground, and the second section being between the switched node and a derived voltage below the switched node, the derived voltage being derived from the negative voltage. In one embodiment, the power conversion bridge includes a high side III-nitride switch and a low side III-nitride switch connected with the high side III-nitride switch to from a half-bridge. In one embodiment, the high side and low side III-nitride switches are depletion mode devices.

Claims

1. A power circuit comprising:

a power conversion bridge between a bus voltage and ground, and including a switched node for supplying current to an output circuit;

a driver section configured to drive said power conversion bridge that includes a first section and a second section, said first section being between a negative supply voltage and ground, and said second section being between said switched node and a derived voltage below said switched node, said derived voltage being derived from said negative supply voltage.

2. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein said power conversion bridge includes a high side III-nitride switch and a low side III-nitride switch series connected with said high side III-nitride switch to form a half-bridge.

3. The power circuit of claim 2, wherein said high side and low side III-nitride switches are depletion mode devices.

4. The power circuit of claim 2, wherein said first section and said second section each includes a driver bridge comprised of two series connected III-nitride switches in a half-bridge arrangement having an output thereof coupled to a respective gate of one of said high side III-nitride switch and said III-nitride low side switch.

5. The power circuit of claim 4, wherein said series connected III-nitride switches in each said first section and said second section are enhancement mode devices.

6. The power circuit of claim 4, wherein said series connected III-nitride switches in each said first section and said second section are depletion mode devices.

7. The power circuit of claim 4, wherein each said first and said second section includes a logic circuit comprising of a plurality of parallel connected bridges, each bridge including an enhancement mode III-nitride switch and a depletion mode III-nitride switch in series therewith, said parallel connected bridges serving to selectively operate one of said two series connected III-nitride switches in a driver bridge based on an externally supplied PWM signal.

8. The power circuit of claim 1, wherein said driver section includes a first level shifter and a second level shifter each coupled to receive an external PWM signal, and each coupled to supply a level shifted signal to a respective section in said driver section.

9. The power circuit of claim 1, further comprising a boot strap arrangement to derive said derived voltage.

10. The power circuit of claim 9, wherein said bootstrap arrangement includes a bootstrap capacitor, a transistor, and a bootstrap diode all series connected between said switched node and said negative supply voltage.

11. A power circuit comprising:

a driver section configured to drive a power conversion bridge, said power conversion bridge between first and second voltage potentials, said first voltage potential greater than said second voltage potential, said power conversion bridge including a switched node for supplying current to an output circuit;

said driver section including a first section and a second section, said first section being between a negative supply voltage and ground, and said second section being between said switched node and a derived voltage below said switched node, said derived voltage being derived from said negative supply voltage.

12. The power circuit of claim 11, wherein said power conversion bridge includes a high side III-nitride switch and a low side III-nitride switch series connected with said high side III-nitride switch to form a half-bridge.

13. The power circuit of claim 12, wherein said high side and low side III-nitride switches are depletion mode devices.

14. The power circuit of claim 12, wherein said first section and said second section each includes a driver bridge comprised of two series connected III-nitride switches in a half-bridge arrangement having an output thereof coupled to a respective gate of one of said high side III-nitride switch and said III-nitride low side switch.

15. The power circuit of claim 14, wherein said series connected III-nitride switches in each said first section and said second section are enhancement mode devices.

16. The power circuit of claim 14, wherein said series connected III-nitride switches in each said first section and said second section are depletion mode devices.

17. The power circuit of claim 14, wherein each said first and said second section includes a logic circuit comprising of a plurality of parallel connected bridges, each bridge including an enhancement mode III-nitride switch and a depletion mode III-nitride switch in series therewith, said parallel connected bridges serving to selectively operate one of said two series connected III-nitride switches in a driver bridge based on an externally supplied PWM signal.

18. The power circuit of claim 11, wherein said driver section includes a first level shifter and a second level shifter each coupled to receive an external PWM signal, and each coupled to supply a level shifted signal to a respective section in said driver section.

19. The power circuit of claim 11, further comprising a boot strap arrangement to derive said derived voltage.

20. The power circuit of claim 19, wherein said bootstrap arrangement includes a bootstrap capacitor, a transistor, and a bootstrap diode all series connected between said switched node and said negative supply voltage.