Device, production method and method for operating a device with a gate driver and at least one connected power semiconductor
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023735688
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-08-25
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-27
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing devices with gate drivers and power semiconductors are prone to damage due to high voltages and currents when a power semiconductor fails, leading to potential destruction of the gate driver and compromising its functionality, especially in critical applications like the automotive sector.
The solution involves short-circuiting the gate of a defective power semiconductor to prevent high voltages from reaching the gate driver, using a fuse or protective diode to divert fault currents, and employing an overvoltage detection device to control a protective element that short-circuits the gate against a reference potential, thereby reducing voltage and preventing damage to the gate driver.
This approach effectively prevents damage to the gate driver, ensures it remains functional even with a defective power semiconductor, and extends its service life, particularly in safety-critical applications by reliably managing overvoltage conditions.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Title and procedures for operating a ber and at least one enen
[0003] The invention relates to a device having a gate driver and at least one power semiconductor connected to the gate driver via a conductor track. The invention also relates to a manufacturing method for a device having a gate driver and at least one connected power semiconductor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a device having a gate driver and at least one connected power semiconductor.
[0004] State of the art
[0005] From the prior art, such as DE 10 2014 221 124 A1, devices are known which are each equipped with a gate driver and at least one power semiconductor which is connected to the associated gate driver via a conductor track.
[0006] Disclosure of the invention
[0007] The invention provides a device having the features of claim 1, a manufacturing method for a device having a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor having the features of claim 8 and a method for operating a device having a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor having the features of claim 11.
[0008] Advantages of the Invention The present invention provides advantageous possibilities for preventing the destruction or damage of a gate driver in the event of a defect in a power semiconductor controlled thereby. In particular, the use of the present invention can prevent comparatively high voltages and currents from reaching a driver output of a gate driver used to control the defective power semiconductor in the event of a defect in a power semiconductor.Instead, in the event of a defect in the controlled power semiconductor, the present invention short-circuits a respective gate of the defective power semiconductor and thus sufficiently early reduces a voltage applied to a conductor track via which the defective power semiconductor is connected to its associated gate driver, thereby reliably preventing undesired destruction or damage to the gate driver. This contributes to increasing the service life of the gate driver or the device formed therewith. Furthermore, the present invention can be used to ensure that the gate driver can still perform tasks, in particular safety-relevant tasks, even in the event of a defect in the power semiconductor controlled therewith. The present invention can therefore be used particularly advantageously for applications in which a failure of a gate driver of the respective device would be critical.The present invention can be used advantageously especially in the automotive sector.
[0009] In an advantageous embodiment of the device, a first fuse is arranged in the first conductor track, which can be triggered by the short-circuited gate of the first power semiconductor. By triggering the first fuse arranged in the first conductor track, the defective first power semiconductor can be electrically separated / decoupled from the gate driver used to control it. This contributes to improving the safety standard of the embodiment of the device described here in the event of a defect in the first power semiconductor.
[0010] In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, the first conductor track is electrically connected to a supply conductor track of the gate driver via a first connecting conductor track, wherein a first protection diode is arranged in the first connecting conductor track and / or at least one buffer capacitor is electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track. In this case, a fault current triggered by the defect in the first power semiconductor can be diverted relatively quickly to the connecting conductor track via the first protection diode.
[0011] Preferably, the gate of the first power semiconductor is short-circuited to a source terminal or an emitter terminal of the first power semiconductor as the reference potential of the first power semiconductor by means of the controlled protective element. Thus, a component of the first power semiconductor can be (co-)used as a safe reference potential.
[0012] As an advantageous further development, the device can comprise at least one further power semiconductor, the gate of which is electrically connected via a further conductor track to at least one further gate driver output of the gate driver, and a total number Z of power semiconductors of the device can be greater than or equal to 2, wherein, for 1 < n < Z, the overvoltage detection device is additionally electrically connected to an n-th conductor track and is designed such that the n-th voltage present at the n-th conductor track can be tapped by means of the overvoltage detection device and is comparable with the first voltage threshold or an n-th voltage threshold currently assigned to the overvoltage detection device or set on the overvoltage detection device, and, if the n-th voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold or the respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold,At least one further output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device, by means of which at least one further gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element can be controlled in such a way that, by means of the at least one controlled further protective element, the gate of the nth power semiconductor electrically connected to the nth conductor track is short-circuited to a reference potential of the nth power semiconductor, thereby reducing the nth voltage applied to the nth conductor track. The further development of the device described here can thus advantageously react to a defect in one of its power semiconductors, despite being equipped with multiple power semiconductors.
[0013] Alternatively, if the device has at least one further
[0014] Power semiconductor, the gate of which is electrically connected via a further conductor track to at least one further gate driver output of the gate driver, and a total number Z of power semiconductors of the device is greater than or equal to 2, for 1 < n < Z, the overvoltage detection device is additionally electrically connected to an nth conductor track and designed such that the nth voltage present at the nth conductor track can be tapped by means of the overvoltage detection device and is comparable with the first voltage threshold or an nth voltage threshold currently assigned to the overvoltage detection device or set on the overvoltage detection device, and, if the nth voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold or the respectively assigned nth voltage threshold, at least one further output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device,by means of which the sole protective element of the device can be controlled in such a way that, by means of the controlled protective element, the gate of the nth power semiconductor electrically connected to the nth conductor track is short-circuited to a reference potential of the nth power semiconductor, thereby reducing the nth voltage applied to the nth conductor track. The advantages described in the preceding paragraph can thus also be realized by means of the sole protective element.
[0015] For example, the at least one protective element can comprise at least one thyristor and / or at least one thyristor-like circuit element. Thus, comparatively cost-effective circuit element types can be used for / as the at least one protective element.
[0016] The advantages described above are also ensured by carrying out a corresponding manufacturing method for a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor.
[0017] Furthermore, implementing a corresponding method for operating a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor also provides the advantages explained above. Advantageously, the first voltage threshold can be currently specified using a reference voltage. It is expressly noted that the manufacturing method and the method for operating a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor can be further developed according to the embodiments of the device explained above.
[0018] Short description of the drawings
[0019] Further features and advantages of the present invention are explained below with reference to the figures. They show:
[0020] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device;
[0021] Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the manufacturing method for a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor; and
[0022] Fig. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the method for operating a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor.
[0023] Embodiments of the invention
[0024] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the device.
[0025] The device schematically shown in Fig. 1 has a gate driver 10 and at least one first power semiconductor 12a with a gate and a reference potential. The gate of the first power semiconductor 12a is electrically connected to a first gate driver output 16a of the gate driver 10 via a first conductor track 14a. Optionally, the device can also have at least one further power semiconductor 12b, each with a gate and a reference potential, wherein the respective gate of the at least one further power semiconductor 12b is electrically connected to at least one further gate driver output 16b of the gate driver 10 via a further conductor track 14b. The at least one reference potential can in particular be a source terminal or an emitter terminal of the respective power semiconductor 12a or 12b.1 The total number Z of exactly two power semiconductors 12a and 12b shown schematically is to be interpreted only as an example.
[0026] The gate driver 10 can be, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The at least one power semiconductor 12a and 12b of the device can be understood as a semiconductor component that can be used in power electronics. The at least one power semiconductor 12a and 12b of the device can be, for example, an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and / or a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), such as in particular a Si-MOSFET and / or a SiC-MOSFET.
[0027] The at least one power semiconductor 12a and 12b of the device is controlled by the gate driver 10. For this purpose, the at least one power semiconductor 12a and 12b can be electrically connected, for example, via a direct DC connection as the respective conductor track 14a or 14b to the respectively assigned gate driver output 16a or 16b of the gate driver 10. Control of the at least one power semiconductor 12a and 12b by the gate driver 10 can be achieved, in particular, via a gate series resistor (not shown) of the respective power semiconductor 12a or 12b.
[0028] In addition, the device described here also has an overvoltage detection device 18, which is electrically connected to at least the first conductor track 14a and is designed such that a first voltage Ui applied to the first conductor track 14a can be tapped off by means of the overvoltage detection device 18. The first voltage Ui tapped off at the first conductor track 14a can be compared to a first voltage threshold by means of the overvoltage detection device 18. The first voltage threshold can be a voltage threshold (fixed) set on the overvoltage detection device 18. Alternatively, the first voltage threshold of the overvoltage detection device 18 can also be a voltage threshold, e.g., by means of a reference voltage U ref, the currently specified voltage threshold. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the overvoltage detection device 18 is a comparator 18. This allows a cost-effective component to be used for the overvoltage detection device 18. However, it should be noted that the design of the overvoltage detection device 18 is not limited to such a component.
[0029] In the event of a defect in the first power semiconductor 12a, such as a low-resistance gate of the first power semiconductor 12a or a short circuit between its gate and its drain or collector, a comparatively high first voltage Ui and a relatively high fault current generally occur in the first conductor track 14a. By comparing the first voltage Ui applied to the first conductor track 14a with the first voltage threshold, the overvoltage detection device 18 can therefore reliably detect the very likely presence of the defect in the first power semiconductor 12a. Thus, a cost-effective component, such as the comparator 18, can be used as part of the device to reliably detect the defect in the first power semiconductor 12a.
[0030] Furthermore, the overvoltage detection device 18 is designed such that, if the first voltage Ui exceeds the first voltage threshold, at least one first output signal can be outputted by the overvoltage detection device 18, by means of which at least one protective element 20 can be controlled. The at least one protective element 20 is controlled by means of the at least one first output signal in such a way that the gate of the first power semiconductor 12a is short-circuited to the reference potential of the first power semiconductor 12a by means of the at least one controlled protective element 20, whereby the first voltage Ui applied to the first conductor track 14a is reduced by means of the at least one controlled protective element 20.
[0031] After detecting the defect in the first power semiconductor 12a, the overvoltage detection device 18 can protect the gate driver 10 from undesirable consequences of the defect by controlling the at least one protective element 20 by short-circuiting the respective gate of the first power semiconductor 12a and by reducing the first voltage Ui applied to the first conductor track 14a. Both the short-circuiting of the gate of the first power semiconductor 12a and the early reduction of the first voltage Ui applied to the first conductor track 14a ensure reliable protection of the gate driver 10 against damage or destruction due to overvoltage or fault currents in the event of a defective first power semiconductor 12a.
[0032] The gate driver 10 is therefore still in its (almost) fully functional state even in the event of a defect in the first power semiconductor 12a and can continue to reliably perform its tasks. In particular, despite the defect in the first power semiconductor 12a, the gate driver 10 can still perform safety-relevant tasks, such as ensuring galvanic isolation and / or setting a safe system state. The advantageous interaction of the overvoltage detection device 18 with the at least one protective element 20 thus not only extends the service life of the gate driver 10 or the device equipped therewith, but also increases its functionality and expands its application possibilities.
[0033] If the device has at least one further power semiconductor 12b in addition to the first power semiconductor 12a and the total number Z of power semiconductors 12a and 12b of the device is greater than or equal to 2, for 1<n<Z, the overvoltage detection device 18 can also be electrically connected to an nth conductor track 14b and configured such that an nth voltage present at the nth conductor track 14b can be tapped. In this case, the nth voltage is / is compared by means of the overvoltage detection device 18 with the first voltage threshold or a respectively assigned nth voltage threshold. The nth voltage threshold can also be currently specified for the overvoltage detection device 18 or (fixedly) set on the overvoltage detection device 18.Thus, a defect in the at least one further power semiconductor 12b can also be recognized / detected by means of the overvoltage detection device 18.
[0034] If the n-th voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold or the respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold, at least one further output signal can preferably be output by means of the overvoltage detection device 18, by means of which the only protective element 20 of the device or at least one further protective element of the device can be controlled / is controlled in such a way that by means of the at least one controlled protective element 20 the gate of the n-th power semiconductor 12b electrically connected to the n-th conductor track 14b is / is short-circuited to the reference potential of the n-th power semiconductor 12b, whereby the n-th voltage present at the n-th conductor track is / is reduced.Even when the device is equipped with at least two power semiconductors 12a and 12b, the protection of the gate driver 10 can be maintained by advantageously controlling the at least one protective element 20 by short-circuiting the respective gate of the defective power semiconductor 12a and 12b and by reducing the voltage applied to the respective conductor track via which the defective power semiconductor 12a and 12b is electrically connected to the gate driver 10. In particular, despite the device being equipped with at least two power semiconductors 12a and 12b, a single protective element 20 can be sufficient to protect the gate driver 10. Reliable protection of the gate driver 10 is thus still possible even with a miniaturization of the device.
[0035] The first voltage threshold and / or the at least one further voltage threshold are preferably above a supply voltage normally occurring in the first conductor track 14a and / or in the at least one further conductor track 14b. Furthermore, it is preferred if the first voltage threshold and / or the at least one further voltage threshold are below a destruction limit of the gate driver 10, i.e. below a destruction voltage that has a high probability of destroying / damaging at least part of the gate driver 10. Thus, a trigger threshold of the overvoltage detection device 18, at which the overvoltage detection device 18 outputs the at least one first output signal and / or the at least one further output signal, is set such that, if necessary, it can be reliably assumed that a defect is present in the respective power semiconductor 12a or 12b.
[0036] The at least one protective element 20 can be at least one gate driver-external protective element 20 and / or at least one gate driver-internal protective element (not shown). The at least one protective element 20 is to be understood as a switching element by means of which a voltage applied to the respective conductor track 14a or 14b, via which the defective power semiconductor 12a or 12b is electrically connected to the gate driver 10, can be short-circuited to the respective gate of the defective power semiconductor 12a or 12b (to ground) and can be reduced. The at least one protective element 20 can be understood as a switching element with self-holding or latch. The at least one protective element 20 can, for example, comprise / be at least one thyristor 20 and / or at least one thyristor-like circuit element. The at least one thyristor 20 can be constructed as a single component or discretely from transistors.Alternatively, at least one switching element of the gate driver 10, which is generally used for the regular switching off of the respective associated power semiconductor 12a or 12b, can be used as the at least one gate driver-internal switching element. The at least one switching element of the gate driver 10 is usually not connected to ground, but rather to a negative supply. The gate driver 10 often has at least one such switching element, the load capacity of which is sufficient for a sufficient duration for use as the at least one switching element 20. Preferably, the at least one protective element 20 has a current-carrying capacity which is so high that when the relatively high fault current occurs (due to the defect in the respective power semiconductor 12a or 12b), the resulting voltage in the respective conductor track 14a or 14b is below the destruction limit of the gate driver 10.
[0037] As an advantageous development, the device of Fig. 1 also has a first fuse 22a in the first conductor track 14a, wherein the first fuse 22a can be / is triggered by the short-circuited gate of the first power semiconductor 12a. Accordingly, a further fuse 22b can be arranged in each of the at least one further conductor track 14b of the device such that the respective fuse 22b can be / is triggered by short-circuiting the gate of the power semiconductor 12b electrically connected to the conductor track 14b equipped therewith. By means of the respective fuse 22a or 22b, the defective gate of the adjacent power semiconductor 12a or 12b can be electrically isolated from the gate driver 10, which improves the protection of the gate driver 10 against high fault currents.The at least one fuse 22a and 22b of the device can be a conductor track fuse, a defined constriction in the respective conductor track 14a or 14b or a surface-mounted component (SMD, Surface-Mounted Device).
[0038] As a further advantageous addition, in the device of Fig. 1, the first conductor track 14a is electrically connected to a supply conductor track 26 of the gate driver 10 via a first connecting conductor track 24a. A first protective diode 28a is arranged in the first connecting conductor track 24a. In addition, at least one buffer capacitor 30 is electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track 24a. The connection of the first conductor track 14a via the first protective diode 28a to the supply conductor track 26 of the gate driver 10 and the at least one buffer capacitor 30 ensures reliable protection against short-term voltage peaks, in particular during a response time of the overvoltage detection device 18, during a response time of the at least one protective element 20, and / or when the fuse 22a is triggered.Even a high fault current can be dissipated comparatively quickly via the first protection diode 28a (against positive and / or negative supply voltages Vcc).
[0039] Accordingly, the at least one further conductor track 14b can also be electrically connected to the supply conductor track 26 via a further connecting conductor track 24b or via a connecting conductor track 24b and at least a partial section of the first connecting conductor track 24a (see Fig. 1). A further protective diode 28b can also be arranged in each of the at least one further connecting conductor track 24b. Possibly, at least one buffer capacitor 30 can also be electrically connected to the at least one further connecting conductor track 24b. Thus, the previously described advantages can also be extended to the at least one further conductor track 14b.
[0040] Due to the improved protection of its gate driver 10 compared to the prior art, the device described above is well suited for use in areas critical with regard to a failure / functional impairment of the gate driver 10, such as the automotive sector. Furthermore, the device of Fig. 1 can be manufactured with a comparatively small installation space requirement and relatively inexpensively. The device of Fig. 1 also does not require large gate transformers or large coupling capacitances with high dielectric strength and high pulse load capacity. This also advantageously contributes to increasing the usability of the device of Fig. 1.
[0041] Fig. 2 shows a flow chart for explaining an embodiment of the manufacturing method for a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor.
[0042] In a method step S1 of the manufacturing method, at least one gate of the first power semiconductor is electrically connected to a first gate driver output of the gate driver via its first conductor track. Possibly, a gate of at least one further power semiconductor can also be electrically connected to at least one further gate driver output of the gate driver via a further conductor track. Examples of the gate driver and the at least one power semiconductor have already been listed above.
[0043] In a further method step S2, an overvoltage detection device of the device which is electrically connected to at least the first conductor track is designed in such a way that a first voltage applied to the first conductor track can be tapped by means of the overvoltage detection device and is comparable to a first voltage threshold currently predetermined for the overvoltage detection device or set on the overvoltage detection device.Furthermore, the overvoltage detection device is also designed such that, if the first voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold, at least one first output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device, by means of which at least one gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element can be controlled such that the gate of the first power semiconductor is short-circuited to a reference potential of the first power semiconductor by means of the at least one protective element controlled by the at least one first output signal, whereby the first voltage applied to the first conductor track is reduced. With regard to possible embodiments of the overvoltage detection device and the at least one protective element, reference is made to the above explanations.As an advantageous development, the overvoltage detection device can also be designed for corresponding fault detection on the at least one further power semiconductor and for the corresponding reaction thereto. Optionally, the manufacturing method also includes a method step S3 in which a first fuse is arranged in the first conductor track, which fuse can be / is triggered by the short-circuited gate of the first power semiconductor. Accordingly, a further fuse can also be arranged in each of the at least one further conductor track. Examples of the at least one fuse have already been listed above.
[0044] Alternatively or additionally, in an (optional) method step S4, the first conductor track can also be electrically connected to a supply conductor track of the gate driver via a first connecting conductor track, wherein a first protective diode in the first connecting conductor track and / or at least one buffer capacitor are electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track. In addition, the at least one further conductor track can be electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track via a further protective diode.
[0045] Carrying out the manufacturing process described here also provides the advantages listed above. Process steps S1 to S4 can be carried out in any order, overlapping in time, or simultaneously.
[0046] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of the method for operating a device with a gate driver and at least one connected first power semiconductor.
[0047] In a method step S10, a first voltage applied to a first conductor track, via which a gate of the first power semiconductor is electrically connected to a first gate driver output of the gate driver, is compared with a predetermined first voltage threshold. The first voltage threshold can be currently specified, in particular, by means of a reference voltage. Thus, the first voltage threshold can also be varied taking into account at least one current parameter.
[0048] If the first voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold, in a method step S11, at least one gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element is controlled by at least one first output signal in such a way that the gate of the first power semiconductor is short-circuited to a reference potential of the first power semiconductor by means of the at least one protective element controlled by the at least one first output signal, thereby reducing the first voltage applied to the first conductor track. Thus, the method explained here also provides reliable protection for the gate driver in the event of a defect in the first power semiconductor.If the device has at least one further power semiconductor, the gate of which is electrically connected to at least one further gate driver output of the gate driver via a further conductor track, further method steps corresponding to method steps S10 and S11 can be additionally carried out.
Claims
Claims 1. A device comprising: a gate driver (10) with at least one first gate driver output (16a); and at least one first power semiconductor (12a) with a gate and a reference potential, wherein the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is electrically connected to the first gate driver output (16a) of the gate driver (10) via a first conductor track (14a); characterized by an overvoltage detection device (18) which is electrically connected to at least the first conductor track (14a) and is designed such that, by means of the overvoltage detection device (18), a first voltage (Ui) applied to the first conductor track (14a) can be tapped and is comparable to a first voltage threshold currently specified by the overvoltage detection device (18) or set on the overvoltage detection device (18), and, if the first voltage (Ui) exceeds the first voltage threshold,by means of the overvoltage detection device (18), at least one first output signal can be output, by means of which at least one gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element (20) can be controlled in such a way that by means of the at least one protective element (20) controlled by the at least one first output signal, the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is short-circuited to the reference potential of the first power semiconductor (12a), whereby the first voltage (Ui) applied to the first conductor track (14a) is reduced. The device according to claim 1, wherein a first fuse (22a) is arranged in the first conductor track (14a), which can be triggered by the short-circuited gate of the first power semiconductor (12a). The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first conductor track (14a) is electrically connected to a supply conductor track (26) of the gate driver (10) via a first connecting conductor track (24a), and wherein a first protective diode (28a) is arranged in the first connecting conductor track (24a) and / or at least one buffer capacitor (30) is electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track (24a). The device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is short-circuited to a source terminal or an emitter terminal of the first power semiconductor (12a) as the reference potential of the first power semiconductor (12a) by means of the controlled protective element (20).wherein the device comprises at least one further power semiconductor (12b), the gate of which is electrically connected via a further conductor track (14b) to at least one further gate driver output (16b) of the gate driver (10), and a total number Z of power semiconductors (12a, 12b) of the device is greater than or equal to 2, and wherein, for 1 < n < Z, the overvoltage detection device (18) is additionally electrically connected to an n-th conductor track (14b) and is designed such that the n-th voltage present at the n-th conductor track (14b) can be tapped by means of the overvoltage detection device (18) and is comparable to the first voltage threshold or a respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold which is currently predetermined for the overvoltage detection device (18) or set on the overvoltage detection device (18), and,if the n-th voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold or the respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold, at least one further output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device (18), by means of which at least one further gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element such that can be controlled such that, by means of the at least one controlled further protective element, the gate of the nth power semiconductor (12b) electrically connected to the nth conductor track (14b) is short-circuited to a reference potential of the nth power semiconductor (12b), whereby the nth voltage present at the nth conductor track (14b) is reduced. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the device comprises at least one further power semiconductor (12b), the gate of which is electrically connected via a respective further conductor track (14b) to at least one further gate driver output (16b) of the gate driver (10), and a total number Z of power semiconductors (12a, 12b) of the device is greater than or equal to 2, and wherein, for 1 < n < Z, the overvoltage detection device (18) is additionally electrically connected to an nth conductor track (14b) and is designed such thatthat the n-th voltage present at the n-th conductor track (14b) can be tapped off by means of the overvoltage detection device (18) and is comparable to the first voltage threshold or a respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold currently predetermined by the overvoltage detection device (18) or set on the overvoltage detection device (18), and, if the n-th voltage exceeds the first voltage threshold or the respectively assigned n-th voltage threshold, at least one further output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device (18), by means of which the only protective element (20) of the device can be controlled in such a way that the gate of the n-th power semiconductor (12b) electrically connected to the n-th conductor track (14b) is short-circuited to a reference potential of the n-th power semiconductor (12b) by means of the controlled protective element (20),whereby the nth voltage applied to the nth conductor track (14b) is reduced. A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one protective element (20) comprises at least one thyristor (20) and / or at least one thyristor-like circuit element. A manufacturing method for a device with a gate driver (10) and at least one connected first power semiconductor (12a), comprising the step: Electrically connecting the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) via a first conductor track (14a) to a first gate driver output (16a) of the gate driver (10) (S1); characterized by the step: Forming an overvoltage detection device (18) of the device, which is electrically connected to at least the first conductor track (14a), in such a way (S2) that a first voltage (Ui) applied to the first conductor track (14a) can be tapped off by means of the overvoltage detection device (18) and is comparable to a first voltage threshold currently predetermined by the overvoltage detection device (18) or set on the overvoltage detection device (18), and, if the first voltage (Ui) exceeds the first voltage threshold, at least one first output signal can be output by means of the overvoltage detection device (18), by means of which at least one gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element (20) can be controlled in such a way,that by means of the at least one protective element (20) controlled by the at least one first output signal, the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is short-circuited to a reference potential of the first power semiconductor (12a), whereby the first voltage (Ui) applied to the first conductor track (14a) is reduced. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein a first fuse (22a) is arranged in the first conductor track (14a), which fuse can be triggered (S3) by means of the short-circuited gate of the first power semiconductor (12a). The manufacturing method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the first conductor track (14a) is electrically connected to a supply conductor track (26) of the gate driver (10) via a first connecting conductor track (24a), and wherein a first protective diode (28a) is arranged in the first connecting conductor track (24a) and / or at least one buffer capacitor, (30) are electrically connected to the first connecting conductor track (24a) (S4). A method for operating a device with a gate driver (10) and at least one connected first power semiconductor (12a), characterized by the steps: Comparing a first voltage (Ui) applied to a first conductor track (14a), via which a gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is electrically connected to a first gate driver output (16a) of the gate driver (10), with a predetermined first voltage threshold (S10); and, if the first voltage (Ui) exceeds the first voltage threshold, controlling at least one gate driver-external and / or gate driver-internal protective element (20) by means of at least one first output signal such that the gate of the first power semiconductor (12a) is short-circuited to a reference potential of the first power semiconductor (12a) by means of the at least one protective element (20) controlled by the at least one first output signal, whereby the first voltage (Ui) applied to the first conductor track (14a) is reduced (S11). Method according to claim 11, wherein the first voltage threshold is determined by means of a reference voltage (U re f) is currently specified.