GaN Overvoltage Protection Circuit

Daniel M. Kinzer

Patent

Atlas literature

Patent

US 10,355,475

GaN Overvoltage Protection Circuit

Daniel M. Kinzer

Drawings

Patent drawings and their descriptions. Click a drawing to enlarge it.

FIG. 1

FIG. 1 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with an overvoltage protection circuit according to an embodiment of the invention; [0020]

FIG. 2

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a portion of the input voltage signal for the simpliﬁed schematic illustrated in

FIG. 3

FIG. 3B is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with a diode-based overvoltage protection circuit coupled to a trigger transistor according to an …

FIG. 4

FIG. 4 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with a diode-based overvoltage protection circuit coupled to a drive transistor according to an …

FIG. 5

FIG. 5 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with a diode-based overvoltage protection circuit coupled to a pulldown transistor according to an …

FIG. 6

FIG. 6 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with a diode-based overvoltage protection circuit coupled to a pulldown and a pulldown drive transistor …

FIG. 7

FIG. 7 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with a resistor divider-based overvoltage protection circuit according to an embodiment of the invention; …

FIG. 8

FIG. 8 is a simpliﬁed illustration of the interior of an electronic package including power transistor with a diode-based overvoltage protection circuit …

FIG. 9

FIG. 9 is a simpliﬁed illustration of an isometric view of the bottom surface of the electronic package shown in

Claims

Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.

3 independent · 21 dependent

1
IndependentGaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit
An electronic circuit comprising: a power transistor having a gate terminal, a source terminal and a drain terminal; an overvoltage protection circuit coupled to the gate terminal of the power transistor and conﬁgured to protect the power transistor from an overvoltage potential between the source terminal and the drain terminal by temporarily changing a voltage on the gate terminal such that a resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal decreases; and a driver circuit, conﬁgured to selectively change the voltage on the gate terminal such that a resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal changes in response to an input signal, wherein the driver circuit comprises: a pull-up switch conﬁgured to change the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal decreases, and a pull-down switch conﬁgured to change the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal increases, wherein the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch have the same conductivity type, wherein the overvoltage protection circuit is further conﬁgured to selectively cause both the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch to simultaneously be substantially non-conductive by respectively applying ﬁrst and second signals to the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch, wherein the ﬁrst and second signals have a same polarity. Currently amended
1. 2
  Dependent← claim 1GaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit
  The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the power transistor is a GaN-based device and the overvoltage protection circuit comprises a voltage sensing circuit coupled to the drain terminal. Original
2. 21
  Dependent← claim 1GaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit
  The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein the power transistor is a high side GaN-based transistor in a synchronous power converter. Original
22
IndependentGaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuitpackaged electronic component with GaN power transistor, overvoltage protection circuit, driver circuit and mold compound encapsulant
An electronic component comprising: a package base; a GaN-based power transistor secured to the package base and including a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal; an overvoltage protection circuit coupled to the gate terminal of the power transistor and conﬁgured to protect the power transistor from an overvoltage potential between the source terminal and the drain terminal by temporarily changing a voltage on the gate terminal such that a resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal decreases; a driver circuit, conﬁgured to selectively change the voltage on the gate terminal such that a resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal changes in response to an input signal, wherein the driver circuit comprises: a pull-up switch conﬁgured to change the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal decreases, and a pull-down switch conﬁgured to change the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal increases, wherein the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch have the same conductivity type, wherein the overvoltage protection circuit is further conﬁgured to selectively cause both the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch to simultaneously be substantially non-conductive by respectively applying ﬁrst and second signals to the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch, wherein the ﬁrst and second signals have a same polarity; and an electrically insulative mold compound encapsulating at least a portion of a top surface of the package base, the power transistor and the overvoltage protection circuit. Currently amended
1. 23
  Dependent← claim 22GaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit
  The electronic component of claim 22 wherein the at least one component of the overvoltage protection circuit is a GaN-based diode. Original
24
IndependentGaNGaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit
A method of protecting a power transistor from an overvoltage condition, the method comprising: sensing a voltage that exceeds a threshold voltage across a source terminal and a drain terminal of a GaN-based power transistor; temporarily activating a gate terminal of the power transistor with a voltage sensing circuit to reduce a resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal; with a pull-up switch of a driver circuit, changing the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal decreases; with a pull-down switch of the driver circuit, changing the voltage on the gate terminal such that the resistance between the source terminal and the drain terminal increases, wherein the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch have the same conductivity type; and selectively causing both the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch to simultaneously be substantially non-conductive by respectively applying ﬁrst and second signals to the pull-up switch and the pull-down switch, wherein the ﬁrst and second signals have a same polarity. Currently amended

Device structures

Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.

GaN-based power transistor with overvoltage protection circuit and driver circuit

No layer stack recorded.

GaN diode or GaN transistor with GaN buffer layer and AlGaN barrier layer forming two-dimensional electron gas

AlGaNbarrier layer

GaNbuffer layer

GaN-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)

No layer stack recorded.

packaged electronic component with GaN power transistor, overvoltage protection circuit, driver circuit and mold compound encapsulant

No layer stack recorded.

Materials

Materials described outside the worked examples.

gallium nitride (GaN)

GaN

Power Transistor Semiconductor Material

Buffer Layer In GaN Diode/Transistor Forming 2DEG

AlGaN barrier layer

AlGaN

Characterization

Measurements and analyses referenced in the patent, with their drawing references.

fet electrical

Fet Electrical

FIG. 1 is a simpliﬁed schematic of a power transistor with an overvoltage protection circuit according to an embodiment of the invention; [0020]

Figure references

FIG. 1

fet electrical

Why these are connected

Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.

GaN Overvoltage Protection Circuit | Matter42 Literature