High-voltage bulk driver using bypass circuit
Granted: February 3, 2015
Patent Number:
8947156
This application discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for driving the bulk of a high-voltage transistor using transistors having gates with low-voltage ratings. In an example, a bulk driver can include an output configured to couple to bulk of a high-voltage transistor, a pick circuit configured to couple the output to an input voltage at an input terminal of the high-voltage transistor or an output voltage at the output terminal of the high-voltage transistor when the…
High-voltage packaged device
Granted: February 3, 2015
Patent Number:
8946881
Packaged devices and methods for making and using the same are described. The packaged devices contain one or more circuit components, such as a die, that is attached to a leadframe having a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead (although, higher lead counts may be employed in some implementations). A portion of the circuit component and the leadframe are encapsulated in a molded housing so that the first lead is exposed from a first end of the housing while the second and third…
Delay method, circuit and integrated circuit
Granted: January 20, 2015
Patent Number:
8937500
This document discusses, among other things, a delay circuit, in which a first register is written with a delay reference code, a second register is written with a delay factor, a control unit determines a corresponding delay ratio in a storage unit based on the delay factor in the second register, and sends the determined delay ratio to a first digital timing unit, the first digital timing unit determines a delay reference time based on the delay reference code in the first register,…
Methods related to power semiconductor devices with thick bottom oxide layers
Granted: January 20, 2015
Patent Number:
8936985
A method can include forming a drift region, forming a well region above the drift region, and forming an active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region. The method can include forming a first source region in contact with a first sidewall of the active trench and a second source region in contact with a second sidewall of the active trench. The method also includes forming a charge control trench where the charge control trench is aligned parallel to the…
No pop switch
Granted: January 13, 2015
Patent Number:
8934642
A switch can be configured to receive a first signal at a first input and provide an output signal at an output, depending on a state of the switch. A switch state change can be delayed until an indication of a requested switch state different than a current switch state is received and the first signal reaches a threshold.
Trench-based power semiconductor devices with increased breakdown voltage characteristics
Granted: January 13, 2015
Patent Number:
8932924
Exemplary power semiconductor devices with features providing increased breakdown voltage and other benefits are disclosed.
No-power normally closed analog switch
Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number:
8928392
This document discusses, among other things, a switching device and method configured to receive a signal at a signal input, to provide the signal at an output in a first state without an applied voltage at a first control input, and to isolate the signal from the output in a second state with an applied voltage at the first control input. In an example, the switching device can include first, second, and third transistors, wherein the source of the first transistor is coupled to the…
Apparatus related to capacitance reduction of a signal port
Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number:
8928142
In one general aspect, an apparatus includes a first capacitor defined by a dielectric disposed between a bump metal and a region of a first conductivity type, and a second capacitor in series with the first capacitor and defined by a PN junction including the region of the first conductivity type and a region of a second conductivity type. The region of the first conductivity type can be configured to be coupled to a first node having a first voltage, and the region of the second…
Superjunction structures for power devices
Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number:
8928077
In one general aspect, a power device includes an active region having a plurality of pillars of a first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of a second conductivity type where the plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type in the active region each have substantially the same width. The power device includes a termination region surrounding at least a portion of the active region and having a plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type…
Current overshoot limiting circuit
Granted: December 23, 2014
Patent Number:
8917034
This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus, system, and method to limit a current overshoot in an electronic component using a switched feedback circuit to precondition a gate of a transistor coupled to the electronic component.
Detecting accessories on an audio or video jack
Granted: December 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8914552
A detection circuit can be configured to receive a digital value from an identification register and to determine a resistance at a conducting terminal of an audio or video jack plug using the digital value. The detection circuit can include a current source that outputs a current according to the digital value from the identification register and a comparator that compares a reference voltage to a voltage created by the current source across the resistance at the conducting terminal of…
Stepped-source LDMOS architecture
Granted: December 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8912598
A semiconductor device can include a source region near a working top surface of a semiconductor region. The device can also include a gate located above the working top surface and located laterally between the source and a drain region. The source region and the gate can at least partially laterally overlap a body region near the working top surface. The source region can include a first portion having the first conductivity type, a second portion having a second conductivity type, and…
Boost power converter with high-side active damping in discontinuous conduction mode
Granted: December 9, 2014
Patent Number:
8907639
A boost power converter system according to one embodiment includes an input voltage high-side node; an inductor coupled to the input voltage high-side node at a first terminal of the inductor; a power switch coupled to the inductor at a second terminal of the inductor; a drive circuit configured to control the power switch such that the boost power converter system operates in a discontinuous conduction mode when a load current drops below a critical conduction threshold; and a damping…
Bipolar junction transistor in silicon carbide with improved breakdown voltage
Granted: December 9, 2014
Patent Number:
8907351
In one general aspect, a silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) can include a collector region, a base region having an extrinsic part, and an emitter region. The SiC BJT can include a surface passivation layer deposited on the extrinsic part between an emitter contact contacting the emitter region and a base contact contacting the base region. The SiC BJT can also include a surface gate at the surface passivation layer where the surface gate has at least a portion…
Methods of manufacturing power semiconductor devices with trenched shielded split gate transistor
Granted: November 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8889511
In one general aspect, a method can include forming a shield dielectric layer in a trench in a semiconductor substrate, forming a shield electrode on at least a portion of the shield dielectric layer, and etching the shield dielectric layer so that a portion of the shield dielectric layer is recessed in the trench. The method can include forming a gate dielectric layer on the recessed portion of the shield dielectric layer in the trench, forming a first conductive gate electrode on a…
Undervoltage protection system
Granted: November 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8885309
A system includes undervoltage protection circuitry coupled in parallel with electronic circuitry configured to receive a supply voltage from a power supply. The undervoltage protection circuitry is configured to shunt undervoltage current resulting from an undervoltage transient in the supply voltage away from the electronic circuitry.
Synchronous buck converter with dynamically adjustable low side gate driver
Granted: November 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8884597
One embodiment provides A DC-DC converter system that includes a high side switch and a low side switch coupled to a power supply, each switch is configured to transition from an on state to an off state and from an off state to an on state to deliver current to an inductor and a load. This embodiment also includes low side driver circuitry configured to control the conduction state of the low side switch and configured to drive the low side switch with a first gate driving signal during…
Trench-gate field effect transistor
Granted: November 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8884365
A field effect transistor (FET) includes a body region of a first conductivity type disposed within a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and a gate trench extending through the body region and terminating within the semiconductor region. The FET also includes a flared shield dielectric layer disposed in a lower portion of the gate trench, the flared shield dielectric layer including a flared portion that extends under the body region. The FET further includes a conductive…
LDMOS device with double-sloped field plate
Granted: November 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8878275
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a channel region disposed in a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric disposed on the channel region and a drift region disposed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the channel region. The apparatus can further include a field plate having an end portion disposed between a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and the gate dielectric The end portion can include a surface in contact with the gate dielectric, the surface…
Integrated gate runner and field implant termination for trench devices
Granted: October 28, 2014
Patent Number:
8872278
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a plurality of trench metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) devices formed within an epitaxial layer of a substrate, and a gate-runner trench disposed around the plurality of trench MOSFET devices and disposed within the epitaxial layer. The apparatus can also include a floating-field implant defined by a well implant and disposed around the gate-runner trench.
