Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Specific identifiable device – circuit – or system – Integrated structure
Patent
1994-05-10
1996-07-16
Nelms, David C.
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Specific identifiable device, circuit, or system
Integrated structure
327565, 257712, 257713, 257714, H01L 2500, H01L 2334
Patent
active
055370748
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/US93/07974.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates, generally, to power output switching circuitry incorporating multiple paralleled semiconductors carrying high current or operating at high frequencies, and more particularly to power output drivers with ratings in the range of one kilowatt and above and employing signal frequencies in the range of 10 Khz, including power converters for AC to AC, DC to DC, AC to DC, DC to AC, and power amplifiers of the A, AB, B, C and D types and their various subtypes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The performance of semiconductor circuit designs employing multiple paralleled devices operating at high currents and/or at high frequencies, e.g., above 10 Khz, is often limited by the mutual interaction of the paralleled devices. In particular, conventional power converter performance is limited in the frequency-power product available. There are high power converters in the sub-hundred kilowatt to multi-megawatt range that employ switching frequencies in the 1 Khz range using SCRs (Silicon Controlled Rectifiers), thyristors and GTOs. In the tens of kilowatt range with switching frequencies from about 1 Khz to about 10 Khz, converters often use, for example, IGBTs (insulated Gate Bi-Polar Transistors) and Bi-Polar power devices. Higher frequency operation with IGBTs and Bi-Polar devices is accomplished with higher losses, more complexity, restrictive performance and increased expense. A particularly suitable device for high frequency converter operation is the power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect Transistors). MOSFETs are capable of switching frequencies in the Mhz range and are simple to control. However, MOSFETs are subject to higher resistive losses for comparable maximum current for each device. Such losses, however, can be controlled with efficient thermal management that provides low operating junction temperatures.
Conventional converter construction and operation does not lend itself to high switching frequencies, e.g., >10 Khz operation, without high losses. Additionally, conventional converter construction does not lend itself well to the parallel operation of power MOSFETs at high switching frequencies, due to the mutual interaction, or cross-talk, between the parallel devices. The need exists for circuit designs and constructs that provide for the efficient paralleled operation of multiple devices at high currents and high signal frequencies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for the substantial elimination of the generally performance degrading mutual interaction of paralleled devices in power output driver circuits employing high signal frequencies and/or high currents.
The present invention provides for the construction and operation of high frequency, high power converters.
The present invention provides for the construction and operation of high efficiency converters.
The present invention provides for the low cost construction of the output drivers for compact, high efficiency, and high frequency converters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is hereinafter described in conjunction with the appended drawing of figures, wherein like designations denote like elements, and:
FIG. 1 is a top view of an exemplary circular symmetric liquid cooled power output driver in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross section view taken along line II--II of the circular symmetric liquid cooled power output driver of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross section view of an extended embodiment of the output driver of FIG. 4;
FIG. 4 is a partial front elevation view of an alternate embodiment of a circular symmetric, liquid cooled power output driver in accordance with the invention, illustrating two voltage stages each comprising three stage elements and the current flow orthogonal to the line of output devices;
FIG. 5 shows a prior art driver configuration illustrating asymmetrical electrical construction;
FIG. 6 is a device transfer function
REFERENCES:
patent: 4866495 (1989-09-01), Kinzer
patent: 4891686 (1990-01-01), Krausse, III
patent: 4907068 (1990-03-01), Amann et al.
patent: 5043859 (1991-08-01), Korman et al.
Gabor George
Iversen Arthur H.
Lechter Michael A.
Nelms David C.
Phan Trong
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