Self-powered gate-driving circuit for cascode power device

Abstract

A gate-driving circuit for controlling a cascode power device to switch on or off while suppressing ground bounce has a gate-driving signal generator and a local power supply. The gate-driving signal generator, which receives an external control signal and accordingly generates a gate-driving signal to drive a gate of the cascode power device, is entirely powered by the local power supply. The local power supply is powered with raw electrical power received from an M point of the cascode power device such that the gate-driving circuit is self-powered without connecting to an external power supply. It avoids a need to install an isolation circuit for ground isolation between the external power supply and the cascode power device for suppressing ground bounce. Advantageously, elimination of the external power supply and isolation circuit leads to a simplified and more-compact design of the gate-driving circuit.