IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,671,410
Granted Patent B2
US 12,671,410 · App. 18/607,591 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Miller clamping circuit for driving wide bandgap high voltage power device

Inventors: Jing Chen (Hong Kong, CN); Ji Shu (Hong Kong, CN)
Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
H03K17/302H03K17/6871H03K2217/0063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,671,410
App. No.
18/607,591
Filed
Mar 18, 2024
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2836
USPC
327/108
Abstract

A Miller clamping circuit for driving a wide bandgap (WBG) device is provided. The Miller clamping circuit comprises: a semiconductor switching device having high side terminal connected to gate of the WBG device; and low side terminal connected to source of the WBG device; a first diode having anode connected to ground terminal of a driver IC chip; and cathode connected to control terminal of the switching device; a first resistor connected in parallel with the first diode; a second resistor having a first end connected to the ground of the driver IC chip; a second diode having anode connected to the low side terminal of the switching device and cathode connected to a second end of the second resistor; and a third resistor connected in parallel with the second diode. The Miller clamping circuit is configured to suppress a false turn-on and gate-loop oscillation of the WBG device simultaneously.

Claims (25)

1 . A Miller clamping circuit for driving a wide bandgap high voltage power device, comprising:

a semiconductor switching device having a high side terminal connected to a gate of the wide bandgap high voltage power device; and a low side terminal connected to a source of the wide bandgap high voltage power device;

a first diode having an anode connected to a ground terminal of a driver IC chip; and a cathode connected to a control terminal of the semiconductor switching device;

a first resistor connected in parallel with the first diode;

a second resistor having a first end connected to the ground of the driver IC chip;

a second diode having an anode connected to the low side terminal of the semiconductor switching device and a cathode connected to a second end of the second resistor; and

a third resistor connected in parallel with the second diode; and

wherein the Miller clamping circuit is configured to suppress a false turn-on and gate-loop oscillation of the wide bandgap high voltage power device simultaneously with a gate turn-off voltage of 0 V.

2 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor switching device is a high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) having a drain being the high side terminal of the semiconductor switching device; a source being the low side terminal of the semiconductor switching device; and a gate being the control terminal of the semiconductor switching device.

3 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the HEMT is a gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT.

4 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the GaN HEMT is low voltage GaN HEMT having a blocking voltage higher than an on-state gate voltage of the wide bandgap high voltage power device; and the low voltage GaN HEMT has a threshold voltage lower than a threshold voltage of the wide bandgap high voltage power device.

5 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 4 , wherein the GaN HEMT is enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaN HEMT.

6 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

7 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

8 . The Miller clamping circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the third resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

9 . A Miller clamp driver circuit for driving a wide bandgap high voltage power device, comprising:

a driver IC chip having at least a driving terminal, a power supply terminal and a ground terminal; and

the Miller clamping circuit of claim 1 .

10 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the semiconductor switching device is a high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) having a drain being the high side terminal of the semiconductor switching device; a source being the low side terminal of the semiconductor switching device; and a gate being the control terminal of the semiconductor switching device.

11 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the HEMT is a gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT.

12 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the GaN HEMT is low voltage GaN HEMT has a blocking voltage higher than an on-state gate voltage of the wide bandgap high voltage power device; and the low voltage GaN HEMT has a threshold voltage lower than a threshold voltage of the wide bandgap high voltage power device.

13 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 12 , wherein the LV GaN HEMT is enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaN HEMT.

14 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the first resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

15 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the second resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

16 . The Miller clamp driver circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the third resistor has a resistance value in a range of 0.1Ω-10000 Ω.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2024
From: CHEN, JING; SHU, JI
To: THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 066880/0875 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63589026 · Oct 10, 2023
Related Publication 20250119136A1 · Apr 10, 2025
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