Low voltage-drop bypass switch for photovoltaic applications

We describe an active circuit that can be used as a low-voltage bypass element and that can profitably replace the Schottky diodes in photovoltaic (PV) panels. The proposed solution is made up of a power MOS device with its embedded driving circuitry. The whole circuit does not require a dedicated DC power and is fully compatible with standard CMOS technologies. A prototype is fabricated and experimentally characterized. Compared to conventional Schottky diodes the power dissipation is reduced by more than 70%. Due to its simplicity, the solution can be integrated even directly on the panel.