Texas Instruments Corporation

Maik Peter Kaufmann

Michael Lueders

Cetin Kaya

Johan Tjeerd Strydom

Naveen Tipirneni

Jungwoo Joh

Stefan Herzer

Laszlo Balogh

Bernhard Wicht

A self-biasing circuit for power converters is disclosed. In an example, an apparatus includes a first transistor coupled between an inductor terminal and a ground terminal, and a second transistor coupled between the inductor terminal and a bias terminal. The first transistor has a first control terminal, and the second transistor has a second control terminal. In an example, the first and second transistors are configured to split a current at the inductor terminal. The apparatus further includes a controller having first and second control outputs, where the first control output is coupled to the first control terminal, the second control output is coupled to the second control terminal.

Bias generation for power converter

The present invention provides a capacitor having a first structure made of a metal layer and a second structure made of the same metal layer and a dielectric layer between the first and the second metal structure, wherein the dielectric layer has a relative permittivity greater than 4, in particular greater than 6. It also provides a monolithically integrated circuit including such a capacitor and optionally other components. A method of manufacturing such a capacitor is also provided.

Fringe capacitor, integrated circuit and manufacturing process for the fringe capacitor

A startup circuit adapted to be coupled to an input voltage supply and operable to supply an output voltage at an output terminal, the startup circuit including: a first transistor having a first control terminal, a first current terminal and a second current terminal, the first current terminal adapted to be coupled to the input voltage supply and the second current terminal coupled to the output terminal; a precharge circuit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, the second terminal adapted to be coupled to the input voltage supply and the third terminal coupled to the first control terminal; a current limiter coupled to the precharge circuit, the first control terminal and the second current terminal; a second transistor having a second control terminal, a third current terminal and a fourth current terminal, the third current terminal coupled to the precharge circuit and the second control terminal adapted to be coupled to a control signal; and a third transistor having a third control terminal, a fifth current terminal and a sixth current terminal, the fifth current terminal coupled to the first control terminal and the third control terminal is adapted to be coupled to the control signal.

Enhancement mode startup circuit with JFET emulation

Reference voltage generation circuits and related methods are disclosed. An example reference voltage generation circuit includes a voltage generating circuit including an enhancement mode (E-mode) gallium nitride (GaN) transistor, the voltage generating circuit to, in response to a first clock signal having a first phase, generate a first voltage associated with the E-mode GaN transistor, and, in response to a second clock signal having a second phase different from the first phase, generate a second voltage associated with the E-mode GaN transistor, and a switching capacitor circuit coupled to the voltage generating circuit, the switching capacitor circuit to generate a reference voltage based on a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.

Reference voltage generation circuits and related methods

Gate drivers and auto-zero comparators are disclosed. An example integrated circuit includes a transistor comprising a gate terminal and a current terminal, a gallium nitride (GaN) gate driver coupled to the gate terminal, the GaN gate driver configured to adjust operation of the transistor, and an enhancement mode GaN comparator coupled to at least one of the transistor the GaN gate driver, the enhancement mode GaN comparator configured to compare a voltage to a reference voltage, the voltage based on current from the current terminal, the GaN gate driver configured to adjust the operation of the transistor based on the comparison.

Gate drivers and auto-zero comparators

A startup circuit includes an enhancement mode transistor with a drain coupled to a startup circuit input, a source coupled to a first node, and a gate coupled to a second node. The startup circuit includes a current limiting circuit that controls a current path between the second node and a startup circuit output node based on a current sense voltage signal representing a current through the enhancement mode transistor, and a voltage regulation circuit controls a voltage of the second node to regulate a startup circuit output voltage of the startup circuit output node.

Growing community of inventors

Freising, Germany

Maik Peter Kaufmann