Driver circuits for gallium nitride half bridge power converters

A method of operating a driver circuit, the method comprising:

• providing a driver circuit, the driver circuit comprising:
• an input node and an output node;
• a first switch having a first source, a first drain and a first gate, wherein the first gate is coupled to a first node, the first drain is coupled to a first voltage source and the first source is coupled to a second node, the second node coupled to a third node via a capacitor;
• a resistor coupled between the third node and the first node;
• a second switch coupled between the third node and the first node;
• a feedback signal generator circuit coupled to the second switch;
• a third switch having a third source, a third drain and a third gate, wherein the third source is coupled to the third node, the third gate is coupled to the feedback signal generator circuit and the third drain is coupled to the output node;
• receiving an input signal at the input node;
• and
• generating an output signal at the output node in response to receiving the input signal at the input node, the driver circuit operating in at least three states comprising:
• wherein in a first state the capacitor is coupled between a second voltage source having a second voltage and a ground causing the capacitor to charge to the second voltage;
• wherein in a second state a charge on the capacitor causes the first switch to transition to an on state;
• and
• wherein in a third state the feedback signal generator circuit turns on the third switch, thereby connecting the third node to the output node.

A driver circuit comprising:

• an input for receiving an input signal;
• an output for transmitting a drive signal;
• a first switch having a first source, a first drain and a first gate, wherein the first gate is coupled to a circuit node, the first drain is coupled to a first voltage source and the first source is coupled to the circuit node via a capacitor;
• a resistor coupled between the first gate and the circuit node;
• a pass gate switch control circuit;
• and
• a second switch having a second source, a second drain and a second gate, wherein the second source is coupled to the circuit node, the second gate is directly coupled to the pass gate switch control circuit and the second drain is coupled to the output.