Driver circuit for switching device

Abstract

A driver circuit that lowers the dependence of the loss in the wide gap semiconductor device upon the temperature is provided. A gate driver circuit for voltage driven power semiconductor switching device includes a power semiconductor switching device, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to a gate terminal of the switching device with reference to an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the switching device, and a unit for detecting a temperature of the switching device. The temperature of the power semiconductor switching device is detected, and a gate drive voltage or a gate drive resistance value is changed based on the detected temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining relations between the junction temperature and the mounting area under different cases of the dependence upon the temperature;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a gate voltage waveform in the driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining current-voltage characteristics of a diode for detecting the temperature;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a section of a SiC junction-type FET 32 according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to a sixth embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining operation waveforms in a driver circuit for power semiconductor device according to the sixth embodiment.

Claims

1. A gate driver circuit for power semiconductor switching device, comprising a power semiconductor switching device, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to a gate terminal of the switching device with reference to an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the power semiconductor switching device, and a unit for detecting a temperature of the power semiconductor switching device, wherein:the temperature of the power semiconductor switching device is detected; andthe power semiconductor switching device is driven with a gate drive voltage or a gate drive resistance value changed based on the detected temperature.

2. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 1, wherein as the detected temperature of the power semiconductor switching device becomes higher, the voltage of the drive signal applied to the gate terminal is raised.

3. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 1, wherein as the detected temperature of the power semiconductor switching device becomes higher, the gate drive resistance is reduced.

4. A gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device, comprising a power semiconductor switching device, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to a gate terminal of the switching device with reference to an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the switching device, and a diode between the emitter control terminal or the source control terminal of the power semiconductor switching device and the gate terminal of the power semiconductor switching device, wherein:a temperature of the power semiconductor switching device is detected based on a forward voltage drop of the diode, andthe power semiconductor switching device is driven with a gate drive voltage or a gate drive resistance value changed based on the detected temperature.

5. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 4, wherein a detection operation of the forward voltage drop of the diode is conducted during an off-period of the power semiconductor switching device.

6. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 4, wherein the diode the forward voltage drop of which is detected is incorporated in the power semiconductor switching device.

7. A gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device, comprising a power semiconductor switching device, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to a gate terminal of the switching device with reference to an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the power semiconductor switching device, and a unit for detecting a temperature of the power semiconductor switching device, wherein:the power semiconductor switching device is a wide gap power semiconductor switching device;the temperature of the wide gap power semiconductor switching device is detected; andthe power semiconductor switching device is driven with a gate drive voltage or a gate drive resistance value changed based on the detected temperature.

8. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 7, wherein the wide gap power semiconductor switching device is a SiC semiconductor device.

9. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 7, wherein the wide gap power semiconductor switching device is a GaN semiconductor device.

10. The gate driver circuit for the power semiconductor switching device according to claim 7, wherein the wide gap power semiconductor switching device is a diamond semiconductor device.