Infineon Technologies Ag

Eupec Europaeische Gesellschaft Fuer Leistungshalbleiter Mbh & Co. Kg

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Hans-Joachim Schulze

Rainald Sander

Alfons Graf

Stephan Donath

Fang Lu-Ruhbach

Anton Mauder

Robert Illing

Michael Asam

Elmar Falck

Goran Keser

Christian Arndt

Frank Kahlmann

Helmut Hertrich

Detlef Kalz

Magnetoresistive sensors are used to measure a load current of a switch. In some implementations, additionally a further current sensor may be used. In other implementations, more than one magnetoresistive sensor may be provided.

Measurements in switch devices

Devices and methods are provided relating to supplying a load having an inrush-current behavior, e.g. charging of a capacitance e.g. at power up of a circuit. A first load path and a second load path are provided which are used in an alternating manner.

Supplying load having inrush-current behaviour

An first embodiment relates to a device comprising: a first semiconductor switch; an integrated sensor for determining a current that passes the first semiconductor switch; and a terminal to which a signal is provided in case the current fulfills a predetermined condition. Also, a system comprising such device, and a method of operation are suggested.

Enhanced semiconductor switch

A device is suggested comprising at least two transistors, each of the transistors comprising a current path and a control terminal, wherein the current paths of the at least two transistors are arranged in parallel, wherein the control terminals of the at least two transistors are connected to a control node via at least one voltage drop component. Also, a method to efficiently control at least two transistors is provided.

Controlling at least two transistors

A circuit includes an electronic switch with an isolated gate, a measuring device for determining a charge at the isolated gate, and an energy supply for providing charge to the isolated gate based on the charge determined by the measuring device.

Circuitry and method for operating an electronic switch

A method for producing a body () consisting of doped semiconductor material having a defined mean free path length (lambda n) for free charge carriers (CP), and a mean free path length (lambda r) for the free charge carriers (CP) which is smaller than the defined mean free path length (lambda n) is disclosed. An epitactic crystal layer () consisting of doped semiconductor material is produced on a substrate crystal () consisting of semiconductor material having the defined mean free path length (lambda n), said crystal layer having, at least locally, a mean free path length (lambda r) for the free charge carriers (CP) which is smaller than the defined mean free path length (lambda n). The body () can also be produced by joining two crystal bodies () consisting of doped semiconductor material.

Body of doped semiconductor material having scattering centers of non-doping atoms of foreign matter disposed between two layers of opposing conductivities

Switch devices with a first switching path and a second switching path are provided in some embodiments. When a voltage drop across the first switching path exceeds a predetermined voltage, the second switch may be activated.

Switch device

A circuitry is suggested, in particular a power switch, comprising a first electronic switch with an isolated gate; a second electronic switch with an isolated gate; a measuring device for determining a charge at the isolated gate of the first electronic switch and at the isolated gate of the second electronic switch; an energy supply for providing charge to the isolated gate of the first electronic switch and to the isolated gate of the second electronic switch based on the charge determined by the measuring device; a logic unit for activating either the first electronic switch, both or none of the electronic switches.

Circuitry and method for operating such circuitry

An electronic device includes a semiconductor structure. A first temperature sensor is located at a hot spot of the semiconductor structure and a second temperature sensor is located at a cold spot of the semiconductor structure. A control block is configured to control current flow through the semiconductor structure. For example, the control block is configured to cut off the current flow through the semiconductor structure when a temperature at the hot spot exceeds a first predefined threshold or when a temperature difference between the temperature at the hot spot and a temperature at the cold spot exceeds a second predefined threshold.

Monitoring and controlling temperatures in a semiconductor structure

An electronic circuit includes an electronic switch with a control terminal and a load path between a first and a second load terminal, and a drive circuit with an output terminal coupled to the control terminal of the electronic switch. The drive circuit includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal, a first drive unit coupled between the first input terminal and the output terminal and including a charge pump and drive unit, and a second drive unit coupled between the second input terminal and the output terminal and including a further electronic switch coupled between the output terminal and a terminal for a reference potential.

Charge pump driven electronic switch with rapid turn off

The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement having the following features: a load transistor having a control connection and a first and second load connection; a drive connection coupled to the control connection of the load transistor and serving for the application of a drive signal; a voltage limiting circuit connected between one of the load connections and the drive connection of the transistor; and a deactivation circuit connected to the voltage limiting circuit and serving for the deactivation of the voltage limiting circuit in a manner dependent on a deactivation signal, which is dependent on a load current through the load transistor and/or on a drive voltage of the load transistor.

Circuit arrangement having a load transistor and a voltage limiting circuit and method for driving a load transistor

The invention relates to a high-voltage diode having a specifically optimized switch-off behavior. A soft recovery behavior of the component can be obtained without increasing the forward losses by adjusting in a specific manner the service life of the charge carriers by irradiating only the n-conducting cathode emitter () side or both sides, i.e. the n-conducting cathode emitter () side and the p-conducting anode emitter () side.

High-voltage diode with optimized turn-off method and corresponding optimization method

The controllable semiconductor component () has a body () consisting of doped silicon. Two separate electrodes () are connected to the silicon, between which an electric operating voltage (U) of the component () is applied. A control electrode (), to which an electric control voltage (Us) for controlling the component () is applied, is insulated from the silicon of the body () by electric insulation material (). According to the invention, the control electrode () has two control electrode sections (), separated from one another by a gap (). Said semiconductor component can be used for IGBTs and MOS transistors.

Controllable semiconductor component with multi-section control electrode

A power switching device has a power switching transistor connected in series in a load circuit with an inductive load portion and a commutation circuit. The commutation circuit is connected in parallel with the gate-drain or base-collector path of the power transistor and has a first Zener diode, which determines the commutation clamping voltage for switching on the power switching transistor during commutation, and an oppositely biased normal diode that is connected in series with the first Zener diode. The commutation circuit further has control elements in order to reduce, during a short time, the commutation clamping voltage at the beginning of each commutation cycle or after an adjustable delay from the beginning of each commutation cycle.

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Munich, Germany

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