IP Library Granted Patent US 10,613,134
Granted Patent B2
US 10,613,134 · App. 15/389,443 · Granted Apr 7, 2020

High-side gate over-voltage stress testing

Inventors: Sigfredo E. Gonzalez Diaz (Allen, TX); Benjamin Lee Amey (Allen, TX); Patrick Michael Teterud (Plano, TX); Hung Nguyen (Carrollton, TX)
Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
G01R31/2623
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,613,134
App. No.
15/389,443
Granted
Apr 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A field effect transistor (FET) engager, for example, includes electrically coupling a gate driver to a gate of a FET for testing the FET. The FET engager further includes providing a probe pad for test instrument measurement of the FET without test instrument capacitance impacting operation of the FET. The FET engager can electrically couple to the gate of the FET hold the gate of the FET at a low voltage while the source and drains are stress tested. The FET engager provides fail-safe mechanisms against accidental turn-on of the FET during operation. The FET engager can provide a second probe pad for selective test instrument turn-on of a second FET. The FET engager can allow test instrument measurement of gate current of the FET without test instrument capacitance impacting operation of the FET.

Claims (18)

1. A circuit, comprising:

a first field effect transistor (FET) having a drain coupled to an input supply, having a source coupled to a package pin, and having a gate;

a gate driver having an output coupled to the gate of the first FET;

a second FET having a drain coupled to the gate of the first FET, having a source coupled to a ground, and having a gate;

a first probe pad adapted to be coupled to a probe of a test instrument, the first probe pad being coupled to the source of the second FET; and

a second input probe pad adapted to be coupled to a probe of a test instrument, the second probe pad being coupled to the gate of the second FET.

2. The circuit of claim 1 including a diode having a cathode coupled to the ground and having an anode coupled to the source of the second FET.

3. The circuit of claim 2 including a resistor coupled between the ground and the gate of the second FET.

4. The circuit of claim 1 in which the first FET and second FET are of NMOS (N-type metal-oxide semiconductor) type.

5. A circuit, comprising:

a first field effect transistor (FET) having a drain coupled to an input supply, having a source coupled to a package pin, and having a gate;

gate driver having an output connected to the gate of the first FET;

a second FET having a drain connected to the gate of the first FET, having a source, and having a gate;

a diode having a cathode connected to a ground, and having an anode connected to the source of the second FET;

a resistor connected between the ground and the gate of the second FET;

a first probe pad adapted to be coupled to a first probe of a test instrument, the first probe pad being connected to the source of the second FET; and

a second input probe pad adapted to be coupled to a second probe of a test instrument, the second probe pad being directly counted to the gate of the second FET.

6. The circuit of claim 5 in which the first FET and second FET are of NMOS (N-type metal-oxide semiconductor) type.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2017
From: GONZALEZ DIAZ, SIGFREDO E.; AMEY, BENJAMIN LEE; TETERUD, PATRICK MICHAEL; NGUYEN, HUNG
To: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 041160/0454 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180180661A1 · Jun 28, 2018