Bidirectional switch circuit configured to conduct current in reverse direction without applying an on-drive signal and power converter including the same

A bidirectional switch circuit comprising:

• two switching elements connected to conduct a current in both directions, wherein
• the two switching elements are connected in series to each other at drains,
• of the two switching elements, the switching element to which a reverse voltage is applied, a voltage of a source of one of the switching elements being higher than a voltage of a drain of the one of the switching elements, is configured to conduct a current from the source to the drain even when an on-drive signal is not being input to a gate terminal of the one of the switching elements,
• the bidirectional switch circuit further comprises
• a gate drive circuit provided for each of the two switching elements, and configured to control, if a gate-to-source potential of one of the switching elements is controlled to be a first potential such that the one of the switching elements is turned on, a gate-to-source potential of the other of the switching elements such that the gate-to-source potential of the other of the switching elements is different from the first potential,
• the gate drive circuit comprises
• a resistance material connected between the source and the gate terminal of the switching element and in parallel to the switching element,
• the resistance material has a resistance value which is smaller than that of the two switching elements, and
• the two switching elements do not include a parasitic diode and an external diode each of which is located between the source and the drain and is capable of conducting a current from the source to the drain.