Half bridge power conversion circuits using GaN devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A half bridge circuit comprising:
- a GaN-based low side circuit including;
a GaN-based low side switch having a low side switch control gate, a low side switch source and a low side switch drain, wherein the low side switch source is coupled to a ground and the low side switch drain is connected to a switch node; and
a GaN-based low side switch driver having an output coupled to the low side switch control gate;
a GaN-based high side circuit including;
a GaN-based high side switch having a high side control gate, a high side switch source and a high side switch drain, wherein the high side switch source is coupled to the switch node and the high side switch drain is coupled to a voltage source; and
a GaN-based high side switch driver having an output coupled to the high side switch control gate and an input coupled to a level shift circuit;
a blanking pulse circuit configured to generate a signal that controls a state of at least one of the GaN-based low side switch and the GaN-based high side switch;
a state storage device that is configured to change a stored state corresponding to on and off states of the GaN-based high side switch driver; and
an under voltage lock out circuit configured to prevent drive signals from reaching the input of the GaN-based high side switch driver when a circuit supply voltage is less than a threshold voltage.
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Abstract
GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions. Some devices employ electro-static discharge circuits and features formed within the GaN-based devices to improve the reliability and performance of the half bridge power conversion circuits.
144 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A half bridge circuit comprising:
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a GaN-based low side circuit including; a GaN-based low side switch having a low side switch control gate, a low side switch source and a low side switch drain, wherein the low side switch source is coupled to a ground and the low side switch drain is connected to a switch node; and a GaN-based low side switch driver having an output coupled to the low side switch control gate; a GaN-based high side circuit including; a GaN-based high side switch having a high side control gate, a high side switch source and a high side switch drain, wherein the high side switch source is coupled to the switch node and the high side switch drain is coupled to a voltage source; and a GaN-based high side switch driver having an output coupled to the high side switch control gate and an input coupled to a level shift circuit; a blanking pulse circuit configured to generate a signal that controls a state of at least one of the GaN-based low side switch and the GaN-based high side switch; a state storage device that is configured to change a stored state corresponding to on and off states of the GaN-based high side switch driver; and an under voltage lock out circuit configured to prevent drive signals from reaching the input of the GaN-based high side switch driver when a circuit supply voltage is less than a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a half bridge power conversion circuit, the method comprising:
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operating a low side switch using a low side driver, wherein the low side switch and the low side driver comprise a first GaN-based circuit; operating a high side switch using a high side driver, wherein the high side switch and the high side driver comprise a second GaN-based circuit; controlling the low side driver and the high side driver with a control circuit that transmits on and off signals to the low side and the high side drivers; generating a blanking pulse to control a state of at least one of the GaN-based low side switch and the GaN-based high side switches; changing a state of a state storage device corresponding to on and off states of the GaN-based high side switch driver; transmitting a drive signal to an input of the high side driver with a level shift circuit; and preventing the high side driver from operating the high side switch when a circuit supply voltage is less than a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electronic package including one or more semiconductor devices that form a circuit comprising:
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a GaN-based low side circuit including; a GaN-based low side switch having a low side switch control gate, a low side switch source and a low side switch drain, wherein the low side switch source is coupled to a ground and the low side switch drain is connected to a switch node; and a GaN-based low side switch driver having an output coupled to the low side switch control gate; a GaN-based high side circuit including; a GaN-based high side switch having a high side control gate, a high side switch source and a high side switch drain, wherein the high side switch source is coupled to the switch node and the high side switch drain is coupled to a voltage source; and a GaN-based high side switch driver having an output coupled to the high side switch control gate and an input coupled to a level shift circuit; a blanking pulse circuit configured to generate a signal that controls a state of at least one of the GaN-based low side switch and the GaN-based high side switch; a state storage device that is configured to change a stored state corresponding to on and off states of the GaN-based high side switch driver; and an under voltage lock out circuit configured to prevent drive signals from reaching the input of the GaN-based high side switch driver when a circuit supply voltage is less than a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification