RF generator with reduced size and weight
Granted: August 21, 2007
Patent Number:
7259623
A radio frequency (RF) generator comprises a first half bridge including first and second power transistors; a second half bridge including first and second power transistors; an output node coupling the first and second half bridges and RF signals to a load; positive and negative rails coupled to a power source; a first blocking capacitor provided between the positive rail and the load; a second blocking capacitor provided between the negative rail and the load; and an offline…
RF generator with phase controlled MOSFETs
Granted: August 21, 2007
Patent Number:
7259622
A radio frequency (RF) generator comprises a first half bridge including first and second power transistors; a second half bridge including first and second power transistors; an output node coupling the first and second half bridges and RF signals to a load; positive and negative rails coupled to an AC power source via rectifier; a first blocking capacitor provided between the positive rail and the load; and a second blocking capacitor provided between the negative rail and the load.…
Heatsink for power devices
Granted: July 17, 2007
Patent Number:
7243706
A heatsink for a power device comprises an upper conductive plate providing a first surface; a lower conductive plate providing a second surface; a middle conductive plate provided between the upper and lower plates, the middle plate having a hollow portion and a solid portion, the hollow portion defining an area to receive coolant, wherein the power device is provided on the first or second surface, so that heat generated by the power device can be transferred to the coolant. The…
Non-uniform power semiconductor and method for making non-uniform power semiconductor
Granted: January 2, 2007
Patent Number:
7157338
A method for making a power device produces a power device comprising active cells having designs that vary depending on where they are located in the active area. Design variations include structural variations and variations in the material used to produce the cells.
Power device having electrodes on a top surface thereof
Granted: July 4, 2006
Patent Number:
7071537
A power device includes a substrate assembly including an upper surface and a lower surface. The substrate assembly includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer overlies the second layer and has different conductivity than the second layer. A first electrode is provided proximate the upper surface. A second electrode is provided proximate the upper surface and is spaced apart from the first electrode. The second layer is configured to provide a current path between the…
Shallow trench power MOSFET and IGBT
Granted: June 20, 2006
Patent Number:
7063975
A power semiconductor device includes a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface. The substrate has a trench. First and second doped regions are provided proximate the upper surface of the substrate. A first source region is provided within the first doped region. A second source region is provided within the second doped region. A gate is provided between the first and second source regions. The gate includes a first portion extending downward into the trench. A depth of…
Power semiconductor component in the planar technique
Granted: April 18, 2006
Patent Number:
7030426
In a power semiconductor component produced in a planar technique, a near-surface structure having at least one depression is formed in a surface region of an edge termination adjacent a main surface of the semiconductor body. The structure lies inside a space charge region formed when a voltage is applied at a junction between semiconductor regions of opposite conduction type. Dielectric material may fill the depression and form a passivation layer on the surface region. The depression…
Double-sided cooling isolated packaged power semiconductor device
Granted: February 28, 2006
Patent Number:
7005734
A power device includes a semiconductor die having an upper surface and a lower surface. One or more terminals are coupled to the die. A first substrate is bonded to the upper surface of the die. The first substrate is configured to provide a first heat dissipation path. A second substrate is bonded to the lower surface of the die. The second substrate is configured to provide a second heat dissipation path.
Forward and reverse blocking devices
Granted: August 30, 2005
Patent Number:
6936908
A power device includes a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode provided within an active region of a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type. A vertical diffusion region of second conductivity is provided at a periphery the active region. The vertical diffusion region extends continuously from a top surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate. The vertical diffusion region includes an upper portion having a first depth and a lower portion…
Hot-swap protection circuit
Granted: July 26, 2005
Patent Number:
6922320
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and circuitry for protecting a circuit during hot-swap events. Hot swap protection circuitry includes as overcurrent detection circuit which decouples power from a load. Circuitry is provided to detect ground-fault conditions. Noise detection circuitry is provided to reduce noise in the power that is delivered to the load.
Efficient gate driver for power device
Granted: July 12, 2005
Patent Number:
6917227
A power module includes a power semiconductor device having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The second terminal is a control terminal to regulate flow of electricity between the first and third terminals. A gate driver has an output node coupled to the second terminal of the power device. The gate driver includes an upper transistor and a lower transistor provided in a half-bridge configuration. The output node of the gate driver is provided between the upper…
Power device with bi-directional level shift circuit
Granted: May 24, 2005
Patent Number:
6897492
A gate driver includes a control signal generator having a first input and configured to output a gate control signal to a power semiconductor switch. The gate control signal generator is provided proximate a high side of the gate driver. A first sub-circuit has a first signal path and a second signal path that are suitable for transmitting signals. The first and second signal paths are coupled to the first input of the gate control signal generator. The second signal path is configured…
Gate driver for power device
Granted: December 14, 2004
Patent Number:
6832356
A power module includes a power semiconductor device having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The second terminal is a control terminal to regulate flow of electricity between the first and third terminals. A gate driver has an output node coupled to the second terminal of the power device. The gate driver is configured to output a first conductive state, a second conductive state, and a third conductive state. A pull-down resistor has a first end and a second…
Power device and direct aluminum bonded substrate thereof
Granted: September 28, 2004
Patent Number:
6798060
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to packaged power semiconductor devices and direct-bonded metal substrates thereof. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a power semiconductor device comprises inserting a substrate assembly into a furnace having a plurality of process zones. The substrate assembly includes a first aluminum layer and a second aluminum layer that are electrically isolated from each other by a dielectric layer. The method further comprises…
AC controller with reverse blocking IGBT
Granted: August 3, 2004
Patent Number:
6771056
A method for operating an alternating-current (AC) controller system includes providing a first bi-directional switch coupled to a load and an AC power source. The first bi-directional switch is a solid-state device. The first switch is turned on in a first half-cycle of an AC cycle. The first switch is turned off in the first half-cycle of the AC cycle.
Active power filter for isolating electrically noisy load from low noise power supply
Granted: August 3, 2004
Patent Number:
6771119
An active power filter includes a feedback resistor and a shunt capacitor, an operational amplifier equivalent subcircuit, and a voltage drop source. The shunt capacitor connects the positive terminals of the low noise power supply and the noisy load to the positive terminal of the operational amplifier equivalent subcircuit. The feedback resistor connects the negative terminal of the noisy load and the output of the operational amplifier equivalent subcircuit to the negative terminal of…
Hot-swap protection circuit
Granted: August 3, 2004
Patent Number:
6771478
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and circuitry for protecting a circuit during hot-swap events. Hot swap protection circuitry includes as overcurrent detection circuit which decouples power from a load. Circuitry is provided to detect ground-fault conditions. Noise detection circuitry is provided to reduce noise in the power that is delivered to the load.
Gate driver with level shift circuit
Granted: July 6, 2004
Patent Number:
6759692
A gate driver includes a gate control signal generator having a first input and configured to output a gate control signal to a power semiconductor switch and a first sub-circuit having a first signal path and a second signal path that are suitable for transmitting signals. The first and second signal paths are coupled to the first input of the gate control signal generator. The second signal path is configured to provide a signal to the first input with a reduced signal delay.
Semiconductor devices having group III-V compound layers
Granted: May 11, 2004
Patent Number:
6734476
A power semiconductor device includes a substrate of first conductivity having a dopant concentration of a first level. The substrate is a group III-V compound material. A transitional layer of first conductivity is epitaxially grown over the substrate. The transitional layer has a dopant concentration of a second level and is a group III-V compound material. An epitaxial layer of first conductivity is grown over the transitional layer and has a dopant concentration of a third level.…
High frequency power device with a plastic molded package and direct bonded substrate
Granted: May 4, 2004
Patent Number:
6731002
A radio frequency power device includes a substrate including a first conductive layer, a second dielectric layer, and a third conductive layer. The first conductive layer is bonded to the second dielectric layer, and the second dielectric layer is bonded to the third conductive layer. The first and third conductive layers are electrically isolated from each other. A semiconductor die is bonded to the first conductive layer of the substrate. A plastic package encloses and protects the…
