DRIVE CIRCUIT FOR POWER SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE

Abstract

A gate driving circuit for a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device has (a) the voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device, (b) a driving circuit for supplying a drive signal to the gate electrode of the switching device, and (c) an inductance between the emitter control terminal or source control terminal of the switching device and the emitter main terminal or source main terminal of a semiconductor module. A voltage produced across the inductance is detected. The gate-driving voltage or gate drive resistance is made variable based on the detected value.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the drive circuit for the power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 1 of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram illustrating the difference between a switching waveform produced in Embodiment 1 and a switching waveform produced in the prior-art technique.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 2 of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram illustrating the difference between a switching waveform produced in Embodiment 2 and a switching waveform produced in the prior-art technique.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 3 of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the drive circuit for the power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 4 of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 5 of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 6 of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a drive circuit for a power semiconductor device, the drive circuit being built according to Embodiment 7 of the invention.

Claims

1. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device, wherein the gate driving circuit supplies a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device that is a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device,wherein an inductance is present between an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the switching device and an emitter main terminal or a source main terminal of a semiconductor module, andwherein a voltage produced across the inductance is detected and a gate-driving voltage or gate drive resistance is made variable based on the detected value.

2. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gate-driving voltage is increased during a period in which the voltage produced across the inductance is being detected.

3. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gate drive resistance is reduced during a period in which the voltage produced across the inductance is being detected.

4. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said power semiconductor switching device is a SiC power device.

5. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device, wherein the gate driving circuit supplies a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device that is a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device,wherein a gate resistor is present between the gate electrode of the switching device and the gate driving circuit, andwherein a voltage produced across the gate electrode is detected and a gate-driving voltage or a gate drive resistance is made variable based on the detected value.

6. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the gate-driving voltage is increased during a period in which the voltage produced across the gate electrode is being detected.

7. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the gate drive resistance is reduced during a period in which the voltage produced across the gate electrode is being detected.

8. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said power semiconductor switching device is a SiC power device.

9. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device, wherein the gate driving circuit supplies a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device that is a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device,wherein a gate resistor is present between the gate electrode of the switching device and the gate driving circuit, andwherein an electrical current flowing through said gate resistor is detected and a gate-driving voltage or a gate drive resistance is made variable based on the detected value.

10. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the gate-driving voltage is increased during a period in which the current flowing through the gate resistor is being detected.

11. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the gate drive resistance is reduced during a period in which the current flowing through the gate resistor is being detected.

12. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 9, wherein said power semiconductor switching device is a SiC power device.

13. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is an inductance between an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of said switching device and an emitter main terminal or a source main terminal of a semiconductor module, and wherein a voltage produced across the inductance and said gate voltage are detected and the gate-driving voltage or gate drive resistance is made variable based on the detected values.

14. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the gate-driving voltage is increased during a period in which the voltage produced across the inductance and the gate voltage are being detected.

15. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the gate drive resistance is reduced during a period in which the voltage produced across the inductance and the gate voltage are being detected.

16. A gate driving circuit for a power semiconductor switching device as set forth in claim 13, wherein said power semiconductor switching device is a SiC power device.