# US 9,041,011 B2 · Modular power converter having reduced switching loss

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,041,011 B2
- Document ID: US9041011B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/934,579
- Filed: 2013-07-03
- Published: 2014-01-23
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-23
- Assignees: International Rectifier Corporation
- Applicants: International Rectifier Corporation
- Inventors: Ahmed Masood; Hongying Helen Ding; Dong Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9041011B2

## CPC

- H10D 84/83: of only insulated-gate FETs [IGFET]
- H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
- H03K 17/102: {in field-effect transistor switches}
- H02M 1/0054: {Transistor switching losses (periodically suspending operation of switching converter in low power mode H02M1/0035)}
- H03K 2217/0036: Means reducing energy consumption
- H10D 84/08: using combinations of technologies, e.g. using both Si and SiC technologies or using both Si and Group III-V technologies
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- 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)
- 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)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

In one implementation, a modular power converter having a reduced switching loss includes a package, a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal, and fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside the package, and a driver circuit inside the package. The driver circuit is configured to drive the gate terminal of the FET. The driver circuit is further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (VDS) of the FET directly from the drain terminal and the source terminal, thereby enabling the reduced switching loss.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A modular power converter having a reduced switching loss, said modular power converter comprising:
a package;
a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside said package;
a driver circuit inside said package, said driver circuit configured to drive said gate terminal of said FET;
said driver circuit further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (VDS) of said FET directly from said drain terminal and said source terminal, thereby enabling said reduced switching loss.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said modular power converter is configured for use in a continuous conduction mode (CCM) power application.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said driver circuit is Kelvin connected to said drain terminal and said source terminal of said FET.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET and said driver circuit are part of an integrated circuit (IC) fabricated on said semiconductor die.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said modular power converter comprises a synchronous rectifier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET is configured to have a reduced reverse recovery loss.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a group IV FET and a group III-V FET.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a group IV FET and a group III-V FET, said group IV FET coupled to said group III-V FET so as to reduce a reverse recovery current of said composite FET.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a silicon FET and a III-Nitride FET.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a silicon FET and a III-Nitride high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The modular power converter of claim 1, wherein said FET comprises a silicon carbide (SiC) on silicon (Si) FET.