Switching loss reduction of MOSFET using switching assist circuit

This paper describes a new high-efficiency and high-speed switching method of a MOSFET using a switching assist circuit fed by the gate drive power supply. By applying the proposed circuit to a chopper and an inverter, a turn-off time of the MOSFET can be effectively reduced, which allows a higher-frequency operation and reduction of the turn-on loss. In the case of the application to the inverter, the total efficiency can be improved by 14.8 points in the low-load range owing to the reduction of the turn-on loss of the MOSFET.