# US 12,592,696 B2 · Cascode semiconductor device

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- Number: US 12,592,696 B2
- Document ID: US12592696B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/598,153
- Filed: 2024-03-07
- Published: 2025-09-11
- Granted: 2026-03-31
- Earliest claimed: 2024-03-07
- Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Inventors: Alexander Viktorovich Bolotnikov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12592696B2

## CPC

- H03K 17/102: {in field-effect transistor switches}
- H03K 17/687: the devices being field-effect transistors
- H10D 84/811: {Combinations of field-effect devices and one or more diodes, capacitors or resistors}
- H03K 2017/6875: {using self-conductive, depletion FETs}
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor power device may include a first power transistor configured to generate an output voltage. A semiconductor power device may include a second power transistor configured to receive an input voltage. The second power transistor is connected to the first power transistor in a cascode configuration. A semiconductor power device may include a voltage divider circuit connected to a gate terminal of the first power transistor and a source terminal of the second power transistor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor power device comprising:
a first power transistor configured to generate an output voltage;
a second power transistor configured to receive an input voltage, the second power transistor connected to the first power transistor in a cascode configuration; and
a voltage divider circuit connected to a gate terminal of the first power transistor and a source terminal of the second power transistor, the voltage divider circuit configured to limit a gate-source voltage of the first power transistor to be less than a gate-source threshold level of the first power transistor, regardless of a magnitude of a drain-source voltage of the second power transistor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor power device of claim 1, wherein the voltage divider circuit includes a clamping element and a capacitor, the clamping element being connected to the gate terminal of the first power transistor and a node, and the capacitor being connected to the node and the source terminal of the second power transistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor power device of claim 2, wherein the clamping element is a Zener diode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor power device of claim 2, wherein the clamping element is a first clamping element, the voltage divider circuit including a second clamping element connected in series with the first clamping element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The semiconductor power device of claim 2, further comprising:
a semiconductor package, including:
a first semiconductor die fabricated with the first power transistor and the clamping element; and
a second semiconductor die fabricated with the second power transistor and the capacitor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor power device of claim 1, wherein the first power transistor is a normally-on device, and the second power transistor is a normally-off device.

### Claim 7

A semiconductor power device comprising:
a first power transistor configured to generate an output voltage;
a second power transistor configured to receive an input voltage, the second power transistor connected to the first power transistor in a cascode configuration; and
a voltage divider circuit configured to indirectly couple a gate terminal of the first power transistor to a source terminal of the second power transistor, the voltage divider circuit configured to limit a gate-source voltage of the first power transistor to be less than a gate-source threshold level of the first power transistor, regardless of a magnitude of a drain-source voltage of the second power transistor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor power device of claim 7, wherein the voltage divider circuit is configured to cause the gate-source voltage of the first power transistor to be independent of the drain-source voltage of the second power transistor such that a variation in the drain-source voltage of the second power transistor does not cause a variation in the gate-source voltage of the first power transistor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor power device of claim 7, wherein the voltage divider circuit includes a clamping element and a capacitor, the clamping element being connected to the gate terminal of the first power transistor and a node, the capacitor being connected to the node and the source terminal of the second power transistor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor power device of claim 9, wherein the clamping element is a first clamping element, the voltage divider circuit including a second clamping element connected in series with the first clamping element.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor power device of claim 9, further comprising:
a semiconductor package, including:
a first semiconductor die fabricated with the first power transistor and the clamping element; and
a second semiconductor die fabricated with the second power transistor and the capacitor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor power device of claim 9, further comprising:
a semiconductor package, including:
a first semiconductor die fabricated with the first power transistor, the clamping element, and the capacitor; and
a second semiconductor die fabricated with the second power transistor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor power device of claim 9, further comprising:
a semiconductor package, including:
a first semiconductor die fabricated with the first power transistor; and
a second semiconductor die fabricated with the second power transistor, the clamping element, and the capacitor.

### Claim 14

A method comprising:
activating a first power transistor of a semiconductor power device and a second power transistor of the semiconductor power device in response to a gate-source voltage of the semiconductor power device being equal to or greater than a threshold voltage of the second power transistor;
deactivating the second power transistor in response to the gate-source voltage of the semiconductor power device being less than the threshold voltage of the second power transistor; and
limiting, by a voltage divider circuit, of a gate-source voltage of the first power transistor to be less than a gate-source threshold level of the first power transistor, regardless of a magnitude of a drain-source voltage of the second power transistor, the voltage divider circuit indirectly connecting a gate terminal of the first power transistor to a source terminal of the second power transistor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the voltage divider circuit includes a clamping element and a capacitor, the clamping element being connected to the gate terminal of the first power transistor and a node, and the capacitor being connected to the node and the source terminal of the second power transistor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the clamping element is a Zener diode.