Control circuit and control method for turning on a power semiconductor switch

A control circuit for a power semiconductor switch, comprising:

• a phase detection circuit coupled to receive a control input voltage that characterizes a switch-on behavior of the power semiconductor switch, wherein the phase detection circuit is coupled to generate a phase detection signal that indicates which of two or more phases the power semiconductor switch is running through;
• and
• a variable current source coupled to receive the phase detection signal, wherein the variable current source is coupled to supply a plurality of discrete levels of current strengths to a control input of the semiconductor switch in response to the phase detection signal,
• wherein the variable current source is coupled to supply a current having a first one of the plurality of discrete levels of current strengths to the control input of the power semiconductor switch in a first phase of a switch-on process of the power semiconductor switch, wherein the variable current source is coupled to supply a current having two or more of the plurality of discrete levels of current strengths to the control input of the power semiconductor switch in a second phase of a switch-on process of the power semiconductor switch, wherein the first one of the plurality of discrete levels of current strengths supplied to the control input of the power semiconductor switch in the first phase is greater than a last one of the two or more of the plurality of discrete levels of current strengths supplied to the control input of the power semiconductor switch in the second phase, wherein the first phase comes before the second phase.