# US 8,570,012 B2 · Diode for use in a switched mode power supply

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- Number: US 8,570,012 B2
- Document ID: US8570012B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/324,709
- Filed: 2011-12-13
- Published: 2013-06-13
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-13
- Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Applicants: Tobin D. Hagan; Marco Corsi; David L. Freeman
- Inventors: Tobin D. Hagan; Marco Corsi; David L. Freeman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570012B2

## CPC

- H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)

## Abstract

A tunable depletion diode is provided. Within this depletion diode, there is a depletion mode transistor that is coupled to the anode terminal at its gate and the cathode terminal at its drain. A diode is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the anode terminal, and a variable capacitor is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the anode terminal, where the capacitance of the variable capacitor is controls the reverse recovery time of the tunable depletion diode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a first terminal;
a second terminal;
a depletion mode transistor that is coupled to the second terminal at its gate and the first terminal at its drain;
a diode that is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the second terminal; and
a variable capacitor that is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the second terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the depletion mode transistor is an n-channel gallium nitride transistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the variable capacitor further comprises a switched capacitor array.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the variable capacitor further comprises a varactor.

### Claim 5

A tunable depletion diode comprising:
a cathode terminal;
an anode terminal;
a depletion mode transistor that is coupled to the anode at its gate and the cathode terminal at its drain;
a diode that is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the anode terminal; and
a variable capacitor that is coupled between the source of the depletion mode transistor and the anode terminal, wherein the capacitance of the variable capacitor is controls the reverse recovery time of the tunable depletion diode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the depletion mode transistor is an n-channel gallium nitride transistor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the variable capacitor further comprises a switched capacitor array.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the variable capacitor further comprises a varactor.