Double-Gate Transistor Switching to Suppress Miller Voltage Spikes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Field-effect controlled power transistor devices face challenges in robustness against parasitic voltage spikes and efficient switching operations due to rapid current changes, which can lead to undesirable electromagnetic interferences and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A double gate transistor device is designed with two gate electrodes and dielectrically insulated gate dielectrics, allowing for independent control of conducting channels in the body region to manage parasitic capacitance and prevent Miller effect, enabling efficient switching by generating and interrupting conducting channels in a controlled manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single gate electrode is used in a power transistor device, then the device structure is simple, but the device is susceptible to parasitic voltage spikes and Miller effect during switching operations
Solution Approach 1:
The single gate electrode is divided into two separate gate electrodes (first gate electrode and second gate electrode) that are spatially separated in the current flow direction. This segmentation allows independent control of conducting channels, enabling the first gate to form a channel while the second gate interrupts it, thereby mitigating parasitic voltage spikes and Miller effect during switching operations.
2Productivity
If conducting channels are generated rapidly to improve switching speed, then switching efficiency increases, but parasitic voltage spikes and electromagnetic interferences worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The first gate electrode is configured to generate a conducting channel in advance before the second gate electrode interrupts it. This preliminary action allows the channel to be established first, enabling controlled current flow, and then the second gate can safely interrupt the channel without causing parasitic voltage spikes or electromagnetic interferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching operation is divided into periodic phases: first, the first gate electrode generates a conducting channel; second, the second gate electrode interrupts the channel. This periodic, staged action sequence enables rapid switching while controlling parasitic effects by separating the channel formation and interruption steps in time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The double gate transistor device effectively mitigates parasitic voltage spikes and improves switching efficiency, reducing electromagnetic interferences and enhancing the overall performance by precisely controlling the charging and discharging of gate electrodes.
Implementation Method 1
Field-effect controlled power transistor devices... switches on and off dependent on a voltage level of a drive voltage applied between a drive node (often referred to as gate node) and a load node
Implementation Method 2
A gate electrode is dielectrically insulated from the body region by a first gate dielectric, and a second gate electrode is dielectrically insulated from the body region by a second gate dielectric
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes switching on a transistor device by generating a first conducting channel by driving a first gate electrode and, before generating the first conducting channel, generating a second conducting channel by driving a second gate electrode, wherein the second gate electrode is adjacent the first gate electrode in a current flow direction of the transistor device.