Abstract: A GaN digital circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first output node on a substrate, a pull up switch connected to a first output node and a power supply node having a second voltage, a capacitor having a first terminal configured to cause the voltage at the gate of the pull up switch to increase to substantially the sum of the second voltage and a third voltage in response to the voltage at the first output node increasing to the second voltage. The circuit also includes a first depletion mode charging switch configured to cause a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor to become substantially equal to the third voltage while the voltage at the first output node is substantially equal to the first voltage and is configured to be substantially nonconductive while the voltage at the first output node is substantially equal to the second voltage.

Abstract: A half bridge circuit is disclosed. The half bridge circuit includes a low side transistor having a low side transistor gate, where a low side transistor gate voltage at the low side transistor gate is controlled by a low side gate signal. The half bridge circuit also includes a high side transistor having a high side transistor gate, where a high side transistor gate voltage at the high side transistor gate is controlled by a high side gate signal. The half bridge circuit also includes a semiconductor circuit configured to allow current to flow from a ground referenced power supply node to a first floating power supply terminal. The semiconductor circuit includes a first transistor, where a gate voltage is controlled by a gate drive circuit control signal, a source is connected to the ground referenced power supply node, and a drain connected to the first floating power supply terminal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate including GaN, a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) inducing layer on the substrate, and a lateral transistor on the 2DEG inducing layer. The lateral transistor includes source and drain contacts to the 2DEG inducing layer, a gate stack between the source and drain contacts, and a field plate between the gate and the drain contact. The device also includes one or more insulation layers on the 2DEG inducing layer, where the field plate is spaced apart from the 2DEG inducing layer by the insulation layers, and a conductor on the insulation layers, where a first portion of the conductor is spaced apart from the 2DEG inducing layer by the insulation layers by a distance less than 200 nm.

Abstract: A control scheme and architecture for a wireless electrical energy transmission circuit employs two solid-state switches and a zero voltage switching (ZVS) topology to power an antenna network. The switches drive the antenna network at its resonant frequency and simultaneously energize a separate resonant circuit that has a resonant frequency lower than the antenna circuit. The resonant circuit creates out of phase voltage and current waveforms that enable the switches to operate with (ZVS).

Abstract: A full bridge circuit is disclosed. The full bridge circuit includes first and second half bridge circuits each having a midpoint node, and a transmitter tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes and configured to transmit power based on the transmitter tank current to a load. The full bridge circuit also includes a ZVS tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes. The ZVS tank circuit generates first and second ZVS tank currents. The first ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the first midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of a power or ground node, and the second ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the second midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the power or ground node.

Abstract: A half bridge GaN circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a low side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to one or more input signals, a high side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to the one or more input signals, and a high side power switch controller, configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the one or more input signals. The high side power switch controller includes a capacitor, and a logic circuit, wherein the capacitor is configured to capacitively couple a signal based on the input signals to the logic circuit, and the logic circuit is configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the capacitively coupled signal.

Abstract: An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a GaN substrate, a first power supply node on the substrate, an output node, a signal node, and an output component on the substrate, where the output component is configured to generate a voltage at the output node based at least in part on a voltage at the signal node. The electronic circuit also includes a capacitor coupled to the signal node, where, the capacitor is configured to selectively cause the voltage at the signal node to be greater than the voltage of the first power supply node, such that the output component causes the voltage at the output node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the first power supply node.

Abstract: A gallium-nitride based power transistor is coupled to a voltage source that has transient overvoltage conditions exceeding the allowable withstanding voltage of the power transistor. An overvoltage protection circuit is coupled to the power transistor to temporarily turn on the power transistor during the overvoltage condition to protect the power transistor from overvoltage breakdown.

Abstract: A half bridge GaN circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a low side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to one or more input signals, a high side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to the one or more input signals, and a high side power switch controller, configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the one or more input signals. The high side power switch controller includes a capacitor, and a logic circuit, wherein the capacitor is configured to capacitively couple a signal based on the input signals to the logic circuit, and the logic circuit is configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the capacitively coupled signal.

Abstract: GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions. Some devices employ electro-static discharge circuits and features formed within the GaN-based devices to improve the reliability and performance of the half bridge power conversion circuits.

Abstract: GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments, a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions.

Abstract: A converter circuit is disclosed. The converter circuit includes a transformer and a primary circuit connected to the primary side of the transformer, where the primary circuit includes a first switch connected to a ground. The converter circuit also includes a second switch connected to the first switch, and a clamping capacitor connected to the second switch and to the input. The converter circuit also includes a secondary circuit connected to the secondary side of the transformer, where the secondary circuit includes a rectifying element, and an output capacitor connected to the rectifying element. In addition, the output capacitor has a substantial effect on resonance of the converter circuit.

Abstract: GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions. Some devices employ electro-static discharge circuits and features formed within the GaN-based devices to improve the reliability and performance of the half bridge power conversion circuits.

Abstract: Electronic packages are formed from a generally planar leadframe having a plurality of leads coupled to a GaN-based semiconductor device, and are encased in an encapsulant. The plurality of leads are interdigitated and are at different voltage potentials.

Abstract: A half bridge GaN circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a low side power switch, a high side power switch, and a high side power switch controller, configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the one or more input signals. The high side power switch controller includes a receiver input reset circuit configured to simultaneously receive first and second signals, wherein the first signal corresponds with the high side power switch being turned on, wherein the first signal corresponds with the high side power switch controller turning on the high side power switch, wherein the second signal corresponds with the high side power switch controller turning off the high side power switch, and wherein the receiver input reset circuit is further configured, in response to the first and second signals, to prevent the high side power switch from becoming non-conductive.

Abstract: A half bridge circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes low side and high side power switches selectively conductive according to one or more control signals. The circuit also includes a low side power switch driver, configured to control the conductivity state of the low side power switch, and a high side power switch driver, configured to control the conductivity state of the high side power switch. The circuit also includes a controller configured to generate the one or more control signals, a high side slew detect circuit configured to prevent the high side power switch driver from causing the high side power switch to be conductive while the voltage at the switch node is increasing, and a low side slew detect circuit configured to prevent the low side power switch driver from causing the low side power switch to be conductive while the voltage at the switch node is decreasing.

Abstract: A power drive circuit is disclosed. The power circuit includes: a pulse detector, configured to generate first and second control signals in response to first and second pulse signals, respectively. The power drive circuit also includes a state storage device, configured to generate first and second driver input signals in response to the first and second control signals, respectively. The power drive circuit also includes a driver configured to generate first and second gate drive signals in response to the first and second driver input signals, respectively. The power drive circuit also includes a power switch, configured to receive the first and second gate drive signals, where the first and second gate drive signals control the power switch to selectively conduct or not conduct current between first and second terminals.

Abstract: A half bridge GaN circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a low side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to one or more input signals, a high side power switch configured to be selectively conductive according to the one or more input signals, and a high side power switch controller, configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the one or more input signals. The high side power switch controller includes a capacitor, and a logic circuit, wherein the capacitor is configured to capacitively couple a signal based on the input signals to the logic circuit, and the logic circuit is configured to control the conductivity of the high sigh power switch based on the capacitively coupled signal.

Abstract: A full bridge circuit is disclosed. The full bridge circuit includes first and second half bridge circuits each having a midpoint node, and a transmitter tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes and configured to transmit power based on the transmitter tank current to a load. The full bridge circuit also includes a ZVS tank circuit connected across the midpoint nodes. The ZVS tank circuit generates first and second ZVS tank currents. The first ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the first midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of a power or ground node, and the second ZVS tank current and the transmitter tank current cooperatively cause the voltage at the second midpoint node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the power or ground node.

Abstract: An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a GaN substrate, a first power supply node on the substrate, an output node, a signal node, and an output component on the substrate, where the output component is configured to generate a voltage at the output node based at least in part on a voltage at the signal node. The electronic circuit also includes a capacitor coupled to the signal node, where, the capacitor is configured to selectively cause the voltage at the signal node to be greater than the voltage of the first power supply node, such that the output component causes the voltage at the output node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the first power supply node.