Method for driving IGBT

• US 8,723,591 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Gyeong Ho, Bang, Seung Hyun, Sim, Jung Wook, Choe, Won Joon, Kim, Min Jee, Park, Hae Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLUND, TERRY LEE
• Application Number:
  US13/530,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20130021067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 327/432
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/168 in composite switches

Abstract

A method for driving an IGBT, wherein a transient voltage applied across the IGBT is reduced by altering a rate of change of a gate-emitter voltage of the IGBT.

Claims

1. A method for driving an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) configured to reduce a transient voltage applied across the IGBT during turn-off of an IGBT driver IC (Integrated Circuit), the method comprising:

altering a rate of change of a gate-emitter voltage of the IGBT to reduce the transient voltage across the IGBT, wherein the altering comprises;

causing the gate-emitter voltage of the IGBT to be instantaneously discharged to a predetermined degree, and

causing the gate-emitter voltage of the IGBT to be discharged gradually at a constant current discharge rate following the discharge to the predetermined degree without delay.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the altering the rate of change of the gate-emitter voltage further comprises changing an internal gate resistance of the IGBT driver IC.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the internal gate resistance of the IGBT driver IC is changed to 25 kΩ

.