Integrated circuit for gate overvoltage protection of power devices
AssigneeEfficient Power Conversion Corporation
InventorsZhikai Tang, Edward Lee, Jianjun Cao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated gate overvoltage protection circuit for protecting the gate of a main field effect transistor (FET). The gate protection circuit includes a blocking FET and a discharge FET connected between the gate and the drain of the main FET. The gate overvoltage protection circuit is configured to turn on both the first FET and the second FET in the event of a fault condition, such that charge from the gate of the main FET is discharged through the first FET and the second FET to the drain of the main FET, thereby protecting the gate of the main FET.
Claims15
A gate overvoltage protection circuit for protecting a main field effect transistor (FET) having a gate and a drain, comprising:
- a first FET and a second FET connected between the gate and the drain of the main FET, wherein the first FET and the second FET each have a drain, a source and a gate, and wherein:
- the drain of the first FET is connected to the drain of the second FET, and the source and the gate of the first FET are connected to the gate of the main FET;
- and
- the source of the second FET is connected to the drain of the main FET, and the gate of the second FET is connected to a capacitor;
- wherein the gate overvoltage protection circuit is configured to turn on both the first FET and the second FET in the event of a fault condition, such that charge from the gate of the main FET is discharged through the first FET and the second FET to the drain of the main FET, thereby protecting the gate of the main FET.
An integrated gate protection circuit, comprising:
- a bidirectional field effect transistor (FET) having a gate and a drain;
- and
- gate overvoltage protection circuit for protecting the bidirectional FET, comprising:
- a first FET and a second FET connected between the gate and the drain of the bidirectional FET, wherein the first FET and the second FET each have a drain, a source and a gate, and wherein:
- the drain of the first FET is connected to the drain of the second FET, and the source and the gate of the first FET are connected to the gate of the bidirectional FET;
- and
- the source of the second FET is connected to the drain of the bidirectional FET, and the gate of the second FET is connected to a capacitor;
- wherein the gate overvoltage protection circuit is configured to turn on both the first FET and the second FET in the event of a fault condition, such that charge from the gate of the bidirectional FET is discharged through the first FET and the second FET to the drain of the bidirectional FET, thereby protecting the gate of the bidirectional FET.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.