Abstract: A dielectric electrode assembly, and a method of manufacture thereof, including: a dielectric tube having a cylindrical cross-section and a relative dielectric constant, ?2, the dielectric tube filled with a gas having a relative dielectric constant, ?1; a structural dielectric having a relative dielectric constant, ?3 surrounding the dielectric tube; metal electrodes on opposite sides of the structural dielectric, the metal electrodes having a flat cross-sectional geometry; and the structural dielectric made from a material selected such that the relative dielectric constants of the structural dielectric, the dielectric tube, and the gas are interrelated and a uniform electric field is generated within the dielectric tube when power is applied to the metal electrodes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided with an MCU, which is configured to generate a PWM control signal that is free of switching pattern information therein. A current-estimating gate driver is provided, which is responsive to the PWM signal. This gate driver is configured to drive first and second gate terminals of first and second parallel switching devices (within a hybrid switch) with gate signals that establish a second switching pattern within the hybrid switch. These gate driving operations are performed in response to measuring a first voltage associated with a terminal of the hybrid switch when being driven by gate signals that establish a first switching pattern within the hybrid switch that is different from the second switching pattern. The duty cycles of the gate signals associated with the second switching pattern are unequal and the duty cycles of the gate signals associated with the first switching pattern are unequal.

Abstract: A switching element having an electromechanical switch (such as an electrically conductive membrane switch, for example a graphene membrane switch) is disclosed herein. Such a switching element can be made and used in a switching power converter to reduce power loss and to maximize efficiency of the switching power converter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bipolar transistor, a method for forming the bipolar transistor, a method for turning on the bipolar transistor, and a band-gap reference circuit, virtual ground reference circuit and double band-gap reference circuit with the bipolar transistor. The bipolar transistor includes: a Silicon-On-Insulator wafer; a base area, an emitter area and a collector area; a base area gate dielectric layer on a top silicon layer and atop the base area; a base area control-gate on the base area gate dielectric layer; an emitter electrode connected to the emitter area via a first contact; a collector electrode connected to the collector area via a second contact; and a base area control-gate electrode connected to the base area control-gate via a third contact.

Abstract: A solid-state switch according to the invention is designed to be connected in series with a load. The switch comprises at least two electric switching means connected in parallel, measuring means designed to measure an electric voltage at the terminals of the electric switching means and a main current flowing in the load, and control means delivering a control signal to act on opening and closing according to the value of the main current. The state of conduction of the first electric switching means depends at the same time on the main current flowing in the load, on a control current, on a control voltage delivered by the control means, and on the gain of the first electric switching means.

Abstract: A self-powered current loop transmitter transmits a process variable over a wireless link, deriving operating power from the current which drives the loop. A storage capacitor is connected across the system input terminals through a switch to provide the operating power for the system components.

Abstract: A first semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a first node of a bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a first metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate, and a second semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a second node of the bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a second metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate. The junction electrode of the first semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the first metal base plate, and the junction electrode of the second semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the second metal base plate. Also, the respective metal base plates and non-junction electrodes of the respective semiconductor elements are connected by metal thin wires, respectively, thereby configuring the bidirectional switch circuit.

Abstract: A power switching circuit includes first and second semiconductor switches providing parallel paths connecting a load across a power supply. A circuit maintains the second switch in an off state except when the current in the first switch exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A power efficient transistor (11) which operates in or near saturation having a base (16), a collector (17), and an emitter (18). A first transistor (12) having a base, collector, and emitter coupled to the base (16), collector (17), and emitter (18) of the transistor (11). The first transistor (12) is biased to operate in or near saturation under quiescent conditions. A plurality of transistors (13) are incrementally enabled or disabled to maintain the transistor (11) in or near saturation under all operating conditions. Each of the transistors (13) have a base, collector, and emitter coupled to the base (16), collector (17), and emitter (18) of the transistor (11). A plurality of drive transistors (14), enable or disable a corresponding one of each transistor of the transistors (13). Each drive transistor of the drive transistors (14) is enabled at a different voltage thereby incrementally enabling and disabling each transistor of transistors (13) maintaining transistor 11 in or near saturation.

Abstract: A power semiconductor bridge circuit includes two power semiconductor components connected in series between positive and negative voltage sources. A connection between the two power semiconductor components is connected in common to an unsteady load. The connections between each power semiconductor component and a respective one of the positive and negative voltage sources includes at least two parallel-connected conductors. By reducing the current variation in each conductor, the parallel connections reduce self-induction and thereby voltage spikes due to rapid variations in the unsteady load. In one embodiment, one of the conductors connecting to the positive voltage source is arranged parallel to, and spatially proximate to, one conductor connecting to the negative source and likewise with the conductors connecting to the negative voltage source. In the latter embodiment, a further reduction in induction is obtained.

Abstract: In the case of a circuit arrangement for monitoring the drain current of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor T.sub.o whose effective transistor area is subdivided in order to provide an MOS measuring transistor T.sub.o ' and an MOS power transistor T.sub.o " the drain-source paths of the two MOS transistor sections T.sub.o', T.sub.o " are placed in different current loops SZ.sub.1, SZ.sub.b of a current mirror SP1, which is acted upon by a predeterminable reference current I.sub.ref. The current mirror SP1 has an output terminal E, which supplies a monitoring signal dependent on the difference between the drain-source voltages of the two MOS field effect transistors T.sub.o', T.sub.o ".

Abstract: By disposing various current-sensing layers on a semiconductor element with a current-sensing function, wherein signals corresponding to the sensing currents derived from each current-sensing electrode are inputted independently into said over-current control circuit and short-circuit control circuit in a control circuit for said semiconductor element; or by constructing the current-sensing resistor in said control circuit with various resistors connected in series, wherein a single sensing current flows into this resistor to generate various detection voltages divided by the resistor, while detection voltages with different values are inputted independently into said main current turn-off command circuit and main current control circuit the value I.sub.oc of the over-current detection level for the semiconductor element with a current-sensing function and the value I.sub.sct at the short-circuit current detection level can be set independently of each other. Therefore, while increasing I.sub.oc, setting I.