Smart drive of power transistors

Author

Simas, M. I Castro ; Piedade, M.S.

Author_Institution

Dept. de Engenharia Electrotecnica e de Computadores, Inst. Superior Tecnico, Lisbon, Portugal

fYear

1989

fDate

1-5 Oct. 1989

Firstpage

810

Abstract

A method using feedback techniques that is suitable to drive and protect high-power transistors in commutation is presented. This active protection allows the use of the maximum transistor safe operating area, since it prevents the drain-to-source voltage from rising above a prescribed value that is independent of the working voltage of the power device and of the power load parameters. One additional advantage of this drive technique consists in the reduction of the turn-on time of the MOS transistor due to an inherent increase of the driving current. Other features, such as overcurrent and overtemperature protection, are also included in the drive circuit. An experimental circuit using the method was tested in different conditions, and the results confirm the advantageous features of the feedback technique.<>

Keywords

driver circuits; feedback; insulated gate field effect transistors; power transistors; protection; MOS transistor; active protection; commutation; drain-to-source voltage; driver circuits; feedback; overcurrent; overtemperature; power transistors; safe operating area; turn-on; Clamps; Magnetic circuits; Passive networks; Power semiconductor switches; Power system protection; Power transistors; Snubbers; Switching circuits; Switching converters; Voltage control;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, 1989., Conference Record of the 1989 IEEE

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA, USA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IAS.1989.96739

Filename

96739