GATE DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR SWITCHING DEVICE

Abstract

A gate driver circuit of a voltage drive type power semiconductor switching device capable of speeding up di/dt and dv/dt even during large-current driving to thereby reduce the switching loss is disclosed. This power semiconductor switching device gate driving circuit includes a drive circuit which applies a drive signal to the gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device and a measurement unit for measuring a flow current of the power semiconductor switching device. Based on a detected value of the flow current of the power semiconductor switching device, the gate is made variable in mirror voltage thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor switching devices of an embodiment 1.

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the power semiconductor device driver circuit of the embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 shows some major switching waveforms of an IGBT in Embodiment 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor devices of an embodiment 2.

FIG. 5 is a detailed circuit diagram of the power semiconductor device driver circuit of Embodiment 2.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a prior known MOSFET/IGBT gate driver circuit.

FIG. 7 shows major switching waveforms of an IGBT in the prior art circuit of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor devices of an embodiment 3.

FIG. 9 is a detailed circuit diagram of the power semiconductor device driver circuit of Embodiment 3.

FIG. 10 depicts switching waveforms of an IGBT in Embodiment 3.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor devices of Embodiment 4.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor devices of Embodiment 5.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a driver circuit of power semiconductor devices of Embodiment 6.

Claims

1. A gate driver circuit for use with a voltage drive type power semiconductor switching device, comprising: a drive circuit for giving a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device;means for measuring a flow current of the power semiconductor switching device; andmeans for causing a mirror voltage of the gate to be varied based on a detection value of the flow current of said power semiconductor switching device.

2. A gate driver circuit for a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device, comprising: a drive circuit for giving a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device;means for measuring a flow current of the power semiconductor switching device;means for detecting a gate voltage; andmeans for causing a mirror voltage of the gate to be varied based on a detection value of the flow current of said power semiconductor switching device and a detected value of the gate voltage.

3. The gate driver circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a constant current circuit in a gate circuit of said power semiconductor switching device; andmeans for varying a gate current based on a detected value of the flow current of said power semiconductor switching device.

4. The gate driver circuit according to claim 2, further comprising: a constant current circuit in a gate circuit of said power semiconductor switching device; andmeans for varying a gate current based on a detected value of the flow current of said power semiconductor switching device and a detected value of the gate voltage.

5. The gate driver circuit according to claim 3, wherein an output current of said constant current circuit is changed in a plurality of steps to thereby drive said power semiconductor switching device.

6. The gate driver circuit according to claim 4, wherein an output current of said constant current circuit is changed in a plurality of steps to thereby drive said power semiconductor switching device.

7. The gate driver circuit according to claim 3, wherein said constant current circuit includes an operational amplifier, a resistor, and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (“MOSFET”).

8. The gate driver circuit according to claim 4, wherein said constant current circuit includes an operational amplifier, a resistor and an MOSFET.

9. The gate driver circuit according to claim 1, wherein said means for detecting a flow current of said power semiconductor switching device is a current transformer.

10. The gate driver circuit according to claim 2, wherein said means for detecting a flow current of said power semiconductor switching device is a current transformer.

11. The gate driver circuit according to claim 1, wherein said means for detecting a flow current of said power semiconductor switching device is a shunt resistor.

12. The gate driver circuit according to claim 2, wherein said means for detecting a flow current of said power semiconductor switching device is a shunt resistor.

13. The gate driver circuit according to claim 1, wherein said gate driver circuit is a drive circuit for a silicon carbide (“SiC”) power semiconductor switching device.

14. The gate driver circuit according to claim 2, wherein said gate driver circuit is a drive circuit of an SiC power semiconductor switching device.

15. A gate driver circuit of a voltage-driven power semiconductor switching device including an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (“IGBT”), said circuit comprising: a drive circuit for giving a drive signal to a gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device;means for measuring a flow current of the power semiconductor switching device;a current detector operative to detect a flow current of the IGBT, said detector including any one of a current transformer and a shunt resistor; anda gate resistance changeover controller responsive to receipt of a detected value of the flow current for varying a gate resistance based on the detected value to thereby change a mirror voltage of the gate.