公开(公告)号：US09525413B2

公开(公告)日：2016-12-20

申请号：US15099459

申请日：2016-04-14

Applicant: GaN Systems Inc.

Inventor： John Roberts ,  Iain H. Scott

IPC: H03K3/00 ,  H03K17/687 ,  H01L29/778 ,  H01L29/20 ,  H03K5/08

CPC classification number: H03K17/687 ,  H01L27/0605 ,  H01L27/085 ,  H01L29/2003 ,  H01L29/7787 ,  H03K5/08 ,  H03K17/04123 ,  H03K2217/0036

Abstract: Driver circuitry for switching systems comprising enhancement mode (E-Mode) GaN power transistors with low threshold voltage is disclosed. An E-Mode high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) D3 has a monolithically integrated GaN driver, comprising smaller E-Mode GaN HEMTs D1 and D2, and a discrete dual-voltage pre-driver. In operation, D1 provides the gate drive voltage to the gate of the GaN switch D3, and D2 clamps the gate of the GaN switch D3 to the source, via an internal source-sense connection closely coupling the source of D3 and the source of D2. An additional source-sense connection is provided for the pre-driver. Boosting the drive voltage to the gate of D1 produces firm and rapid pull-up of D1 and D3 for improved switching performance at higher switching speeds. High current handling components of the driver circuitry are integrated with the GaN switch and closely coupled to reduce inductance, while the discrete pre-driver can be thermally separated from the GaN chip.

Abstract translation: 公开了包括具有低阈值电压的增强模式（E模式）GaN功率晶体管的开关系统的驱动电路。 E模式高电子迁移率晶体管（HEMT）D3具有单片集成的GaN驱动器，其包括更小的E型GaN HEMT D1和D2以及分立的双电压预驱动器。 在操作中，D1将栅极驱动电压提供给GaN开关D3的栅极，并且D2通过紧密耦合D3源和D2源的内部源极检测连接将GaN开关D3的栅极钳位到源极 。 为前置驱动程序提供了额外的源感测连接。 将D1和D3的驱动电压提升到D1的栅极，可以实现更快速的D1和D3上拉，从而提高开关速度下的开关性能。 驱动器电路的大电流处理部件与GaN开关集成，并且紧密耦合以减小电感，而离散预驱动器可以与GaN芯片热分离。