IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,592,693
Granted Patent B2
US 12,592,693 · App. 18/818,909 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Gate driving circuit with switched-capacitor circuit to generate negative gate-source voltage pulses

Inventors: Ho Tin Tang (Tsuen Wan, HK); Shu Hung Henry Chung (Mid-Levels, HK)
Assignee: CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
H03K17/162H02M1/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,592,693
App. No.
18/818,909
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for driving a MOSFET, which includes a first gate driver adapted to generate a driving signal for a MOSFET, a switched capacitor circuit connected to the first gate driver and adapted to generate temporarily a negative voltage to counteract a spurious voltage occurred at the first gate driver; and a second gate driver comprising adapted to drive the switched capacitor circuit. The first gate driver and the second gate driver are powered by a same voltage source and controlled by a same control logic. The apparatus is adapted to momentarily generate a negative voltage that could counteract the spurious voltage generated by switching devices, and improve the switching performance.

Claims (16)

1 . An apparatus for driving a MOSFET, comprising:

a) a first gate driver adapted to generate a driving signal for a MOSFET;

b) a switched capacitor circuit connected to the first gate driver and adapted to generate temporarily a negative voltage to counteract a spurious voltage occurred at the first gate driver; and

c) a second gate driver adapted to drive the switched capacitor circuit;

wherein the first gate driver and the second gate driver are powered by a same voltage source and controlled by a same control logic.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprises a gate resistor through which the first gate driver is connected to the gate of the MOSFET.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gate driver comprises a first transistor and a second transistor having their drain connected together as an output of the first gate driver to the MOSFET; a source of the second transistor connected to the switched capacitor circuit.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second gate driver comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor having their drain connected together and in turn connected to the switched capacitor circuit.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a gate of each of the first to fourth transistors is connected to the control logic.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a source of the each of the first and third transistors is connected to the voltage source.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first to fourth transistors are implemented by a gate driver IC.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switched capacitor circuit comprises a RC circuit that comprises a first resistor and a capacitor connected in parallel.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the RC circuit is connected at one end to an output of the second gate driver, and at another end connected to a second resistor.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second gate driver comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor having their drain connected together and in turn connected to the RC circuit; the second resistor having a first end connected to the RC circuit and a second end connected to a source of the fourth transistor.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first end of the second resistor is further connected to the first gate driver.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first gate driver comprises a first transistor and a second transistor having their drain connected together; the first end of the second resistor connected to a source of the second transistor; a source of the first transistor connected to the voltage source.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2024
From: TANG, HO TIN; CHUNG, SHU HUNG HENRY
To: CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
Reel/Frame 068438/0665 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20260066892A1 · Mar 5, 2026
References Cited (23)
US 11482919B2 · Lai · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 12021535B1 · Tang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12446282B2 · Kinoshita · 2025 [cited by examiner]
J. Wang, H. Chung, and T. Li, “Characterization and experimental assessment of the Effects of Parasitic Elements on the MOSFET Switching Performance,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 573-590,… [cited by applicant]
J. Wang and H. Chung, “Impact of Parasitic Elements on the Spurious Triggering Pulse in Synchronous Buck Converter,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 29, No. 12, pp. 6672-6685, Dec. 2014, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
Y. Li, M. Liang, J. Chen, T. Q. Zheng and H. Guo, “A Low Gate Turn-Off Impedance Driver for Suppressing Crosstalk of SiC MOSFET Based on Different Discrete Packages,” in IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in P… [cited by applicant]
K. Yamaguchi, K. Katsura, T. Yamada and Y. Sato, “Comprehensive evaluation of gate boost driver for SiC-MOSFETs,” 2016 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE), Milwaukee, WI, 2016, pp. 1-8, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
F. Gao, Q. Zhou, P. Wang and C. Zhang, “A Gate Driver of SiC MOSFET for Suppressing the Negative Voltage Spikes in a Bridge Circuit,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 2339-2353, Mar. 2018, … [cited by applicant]
Z. Zhang, J. Dix, F. F. Wang, B. J. Blalock, D. Costinett and L. M. Tolbert, “Intelligent Gate Drive for Fast Switching and Crosstalk Suppression of SiC Devices,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 32, No. … [cited by applicant]
Z. Zhang, Z. Wang, F. Wang, L. M. Tolbert and B. J. Blalock, “Reliability-oriented design of gate driver for SiC devices in voltage source converter,” 2015 IEEE International Workshop on Integrated Power Packaging (IWIP… [cited by applicant]
Z. Zhang, F. Wang, L. M. Tolbert and B. J. Blalock, “Active Gate Driver for Crosstalk Suppression of SiC Devices in a Phase-Leg Configuration,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 1986-1997, A… [cited by applicant]
S. Yin, K. J. Tseng, C. F. Tong and R. Simanjorang, “Design of high-speed gate driver to reduce switching loss and mitigate parasitic effects for SiC MOSFET,” in IET Power Electronics, vol. 10, No. 10, pp. 1183-1189, 18… [cited by applicant]
S. Zhao et al., “Adaptive Multi-Level Active Gate Drivers for SiC Power Devices,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 1882-1898, Feb. 2020, 17 pages. [cited by applicant]
Y. Yang, Y. Wen and Y. Gao, “A Novel Active Gate Driver for Improving Switching Performance of High-Power SiC MOSFET Modules,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 7775-7787, Aug. 2019, 13 page… [cited by applicant]
Y. Chen, R. Wang, X. Liu and Y. Kang, “Gate-Drive Power Supply With Decayed Negative Voltage to Solve Crosstalk Problem of GaN Synchronous Buck Converter,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 36, No. 1, pp. … [cited by applicant]
P. V. Pol, S. L. Patil and S. K. Pandey, “A simple and novel technique for driving silicon carbide power MOSFETs with unipolar supply voltage,” 2016 IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Drives and Energy … [cited by applicant]
F. Mo, J. Furuta and K. Kobayashi, “A low surge voltage and fast speed gate driver for SiC MOSFET with switched capacitor circuit,” 2016 IEEE 4th Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA), Fayettev… [cited by applicant]
H. Gui, J. Sun and L. M. Tolbert, “Charge Pump Gate Drive to Reduce Turn-On Switching Loss of SiC MOSFETs,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 35, No. 12, pp. 13136-13147, Dec. 2020, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Q. He, Y. Zhu, H. Zhang, A. Huang, Q. Cai and H. Kim, “A Multilevel Gate Driver of SiC mosfets for Mitigating Coupling Noise in Bridge-Leg Converter,” in IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, vol. 61, No. … [cited by applicant]
C. Li et al., “High Off-State Impedance Gate Driver of SiC MOSFETs for Crosstalk Voltage Elimination Considering Common-Source Inductance,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 2999-3011, Mar. … [cited by applicant]
A. Maerz, T. Bertelshofer, M. Bakran and M. Helsper, “A Novel Gate Drive Concept to Eliminate Parasitic Turn-on of SiC MOSFET in Low Inductance Power Modules,” PCIM Europe 2017; International Exhibition and Conference f… [cited by applicant]
J. Henn et al., “Intelligent Gate Drivers for Future Power Converters,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 3484-3503, Mar. 2022. [cited by applicant]
“Si827x Data Sheet,” Datasheet of SI8275, Rev. A, Silicon Labs, Jun. 2022, 47 pages. [cited by applicant]