GaN circuit drivers for GaN circuit loads

• US 9,716,395 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor Limited (Navitas Semiconductor Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor, Inc.
• Inventors: Sharma, Santosh, Kinzer, Daniel M., Zhang, Ju Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng, Diana J
• Application Number:
  US14/737,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20160079854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 327108-112, 257 76, 257194, 257E29089, 257E27016, 257E29246
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48257 connecting the wire to a die pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49503 characterised by the die pad
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49562 for devices being provided for in H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49575 Assemblies of semiconductor devices on lead frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/528 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure H01L27/0207 takes precedence; algorithms G06F30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/62 Protection against overvoltage, e.g. fuses, shunts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0248 for electrical or thermal protection, e.g. electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/088 the components being field-effect transistors with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0883 Combination of depletion and enhancement field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1033 with insulated gate, e.g. characterised by the length, the width, the geometric contour or the doping structure with channel and gate aligned in the lengthwise direction H01L29/42376; with buried channel H01L29/7838
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/2003 Nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/402 Field plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/41758 for lateral devices with structured layout for source or drain region, i.e. the source or drain region having cellular, interdigitated or ring structure or being curved or angular H01L29/41733 - H01L29/4175 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 : Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 : for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 : using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 : with digital control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 : with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 : comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 : in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018507 : Interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/012 : Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/356017 : using additional transistors in the input circuit H03K3/356104, H03K3/3562 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• 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

An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a substrate having GaN, and a power switch formed on the substrate and including a first control gate and a first source. The electronic circuit also includes a drive circuit formed on the substrate and including an output coupled to the first control gate, and a power supply having a supply voltage and coupled to the drive circuit, where the output can be driven to the supply voltage.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit, comprising:

a substrate comprising GaN;

a power switch formed on the substrate and including a first control gate and a first source; and

a drive circuit formed on the substrate and comprising;

a plurality of transistors, wherein all of the transistors of the drive circuit are of the same conductivity type,

an output coupled to the first control gate, and

a power supply having a supply voltage and coupled to the drive circuit,

wherein the output of the drive circuit can be driven to the supply voltage.

2. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is coupled to at least one power supply and to one input that are both referenced to the first source.

3. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is coupled to exactly one PWM input.

4. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive circuit comprises:

at least one enhancement mode transistor;

at least one current conducting element; and

does not include any depletion mode transistors.

5. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive circuit comprises an inverter, comprising:

a first enhancement-mode transistor having a second gate connected to a first input signal, a second source connected to the first source, and a second drain; and

a second enhancement-mode transistor having a third drain connected to the power supply, a third source connected to the second drain and a third gate connected to a control circuit configured to generate a voltage higher than the power supply.

6. The electronic circuit of claim 5, including a capacitive element that moves up and down in voltage synchronously with the third source and supplies charge to the third gate.

7. The electronic circuit of claim 5, further comprising a rectifying element configured to supply power to the capacitive element and to prevent discharge of the capacitive element when a voltage on a terminal of the capacitive element rises above a voltage on the power supply.

8. The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein the second enhancement mode transistor can be switched on in less than 100 nanoseconds.

9. The electronic circuit of claim 5 where in a third enhancement mode transistor has a fourth gate connected the first input signal, a fourth drain connected to the third gate and a fourth source connected to the first source.

10. The electronic circuit of claim 9 wherein a current limiting element is disposed in a current conduction path from the power supply to the first source, and wherein the current conduction path comprises a series connection of a rectifying element, the current limiting element and the third enhancement mode transistor.

11. The electronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the current limiting element comprises a fifth enhancement mode transistor having a sixth gate, a sixth source connected to the third gate, and a sixth drain connected to a terminal of the second capacitive element, wherein the second capacitive element is configured to supply power to the third gate.

12. The electronic circuit of claim 11, wherein the sixth gate is connected to a circuit capable of delivering a voltage higher than the first power supply voltage.

13. The electronic circuit of claim 12, wherein the sixth gate is configured to turn off the fifth enhancement mode transistor synchronously with the turn on of the first enhancement mode transistor, and wherein the sixth gate is further configured to turn on the fifth enhancement mode transistor when a voltage of a terminal of the second capacitive element rises above a voltage on the first power supply.

14. The electronic circuit of claim 9, wherein the fourth gate is connected to a circuit capable of supply a voltage greater than the first power supply voltage.

15. The electronic circuit of claim 14, wherein the fourth gate is configured to turn on the third enhancement mode transistor to supply power from the first power supply to the second capacitive element synchronously with the turn on of the first enhancement mode transistor, and wherein the fourth gate is further configured to turn off the third enhancement mode transistor when a voltage of a terminal of the second capacitive element rises above a voltage on the first power supply.

16. The electronic circuit of claim 5 wherein a resistor is disposed between the first input signal and the first control gate.

17. The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein the second enhancement mode transistor is configured to be in an off state when the first enhancement mode transistor is in an on state and wherein the second enhancement mode transistor is configured to be in an on state when the first enhancement mode transistor is in an off state.

18. The electronic circuit of claim 17, wherein the third drain is connected to the first power supply.

19. The electronic circuit of claim 17, wherein the third drain is connected to a second power supply.

20. The electronic circuit of claim 17, further comprising a depletion mode transistor having a fourth gate, a fourth source, and a fourth drain connected to the first power supply, wherein the fourth gate is connected to the second drain and the fourth source is connected to the third drain.

21. The electronic circuit of claim 5, further comprising a first resistor disposed between the second drain and the first power supply.

22. The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein the inverter is coupled to a seventh gate of a sixth enhancement mode transistor having a seventh source coupled to the first source and a seventh drain coupled to the control gate.

23. The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the drive circuit comprises two inverters connected serially to form a non-inverting buffer circuit.

24. The electronic circuit of claim 1 where in the drive circuit comprises at least one buffer circuit.

25. The electronic circuit of claim 1 where in the drive circuit is coupled with a gate of a fourth enhancement mode transistor having a fifth drain connected to the first control gate and a fifth source connected to the first source.

26. The electronic circuit of claim 1 further comprising an electrostatic discharge protection circuit.

27. An electronic component comprising:

a package base;

at least one GaN-based die secured to the package base and including an electronic circuit comprising;

a power switch formed on the at least one GaN-based die and including a first control gate and a first source; and

a drive circuit formed on the at least one GaN-based die, the drive circuit comprising;

a plurality of transistors, wherein all of the transistors of the drive circuit are of the same conductivity type,

an output coupled to the first control gate, and

a power supply having a supply voltage and coupled to the drive circuit,

wherein the output of the drive circuit can be driven to the supply voltage.

28. The power conversion component of claim 27, wherein the drive circuit is coupled to at least one power supply and to one input that are referenced to the first source.

29. The power conversion component of claim 27, wherein the drive circuit is coupled to exactly one PWM input.

30. The electronic component of claim 27, wherein the drive circuit comprises:

at least one enhancement mode transistor;

at least one current conducting element; and

does not include any depletion mode transistors.

31. A method of operating a GaN-based circuit, the method comprising:

receiving a signal with a drive circuit;

processing the signal with the drive circuit; and

transmitting an output signal to a control gate of a switch,

wherein the drive circuit and the switch are disposed on a unitary GaN substrate, and

wherein the drive circuit comprises;

a plurality of enhancement mode transistors, and

at least one current conducting element,

an output coupled to the first control gate, and

a power supply having a supply voltage and coupled to the drive circuit,

wherein the output of the drive circuit can be driven to the supply voltage, and

wherein the drive circuit does not include any depletion mode transistors and does not include transistors of differing conductivity types.