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GA04JT17-247 Datasheet, PDF (10/12 Pages) GeneSiC Semiconductor, Inc. – Normally – OFF Silicon Carbide Junction Transistor
GA04JT17-247
C: Proportional Gate Current Driving
For applications in which the GA04JT17-247 will operate over a wide range of drain current conditions, it may be beneficial to drive the device
using a proportional gate drive topology to optimize gate drive power consumption. A proportional gate driver relies on instantaneous drain
current ID feedback to vary the steady state gate current IG,steady supplied to the GA04JT17-247
C:1: Voltage Controlled Proportional Driver
The voltage controlled proportional driver relies on a gate drive IC to detect the GA04JT17-247 drain-source voltage VDS during on-state to
sense ID. The gate drive IC will then increase or decrease IG,steady in response to ID. This allows IG,steady, and thus the gate drive power
consumption, to be reduced while ID is relatively low or for IG,steady to increase when is ID higher. A high voltage diode connected between the
drain and sense protects the IC from high-voltage when the driver and GA04JT17-247 are in off-state. A simplified version of this topology is
shown in Figure 29, additional information will be available in the future at http://www.genesicsemi.com/commercial-sic/sic-junction-transistors/
Figure 28: Simplified Voltage Controlled Proportional Driver
C:2: Current Controlled Proportional Driver
The current controlled proportional driver relies on a low-loss transformer in the drain or source path to provide feedback ID of the GA04JT17-
247 during on-state to supply IG,steady into the device gate. IG,steady will then increase or decrease in response to ID. at a fixed forced current gain
which is set be the turns ratio of the transformer, hforce = ID / IG = N2 / N1. GA04JT17-247 is initially tuned-on using a gate current pulse supplied
into an RC drive circuit to allow ID current to begin flowing. This topology allows IG,steady, and thus the gate drive power consumption, to be
reduced while ID is relatively low or for IG,steady to increase when is ID higher. A simplified version of this topology is shown in Figure 29,
additional information will be available in the future at http://www.genesicsemi.com/commercial-sic/sic-junction-transistors/.
Nov 2014
Gate Signal
N2
SiC SJT D
G
S
N3
N1
N2
Figure 29: Simplified Current Controlled Proportional Driver
http://www.genesicsemi.com/commercial-sic/sic-junction-transistors/
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