Modular power converter having reduced switching loss
View Patent ↗In one implementation, a modular power converter having a reduced switching loss includes a package, a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal, and fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside the package, and a driver circuit inside the package. The driver circuit is configured to drive the gate terminal of the FET. The driver circuit is further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (V DS ) of the FET directly from the drain terminal and the source terminal, thereby enabling the reduced switching loss.
1. A modular power converter having a reduced switching loss, said modular power converter comprising:
a package;
a field-effect transistor (FET) including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, and a source terminal fabricated on a semiconductor die situated inside said package;
a driver circuit inside said package, said driver circuit configured to drive said gate terminal of said FET;
said driver circuit further configured to sample a drain-to-source voltage (V DS ) of said FET directly from said drain terminal and said source terminal, thereby enabling said reduced switching loss.
2. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said modular power converter is configured for use in a continuous conduction mode (CCM) power application.
3. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said driver circuit is Kelvin connected to said drain terminal and said source terminal of said FET.
4. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET and said driver circuit are part of an integrated circuit (IC) fabricated on said semiconductor die.
5. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said modular power converter comprises a synchronous rectifier.
6. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET is configured to have a reduced reverse recovery loss.
7. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a group IV FET and a group III-V FET.
8. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a group IV FET and a group III-V FET, said group IV FET coupled to said group III-V FET so as to reduce a reverse recovery current of said composite FET.
9. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a silicon FET and a III-Nitride FET.
10. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET is a composite FET comprising a silicon FET and a III-Nitride high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).
11. The modular power converter of claim 1 , wherein said FET comprises a silicon carbide (SiC) on silicon (Si) FET.