Abstract: A protection circuit for a semiconductor switch has a gate that can be controlled by a gate driver. The protection circuit includes an integrator for detecting a gate charge of the gate and a comparator unit for switching off the semiconductor switch in dependence on the value of the gate charge relative to a reference charge.

Abstract: A protective circuit for a semiconductor switch includes a clamp diode, an NPN bipolar transistor, a PNP bipolar transistor, a capacitor connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the PNP bipolar transistor, and at least three resistors. The bipolar transistors are connected to a thyristor structure that is connected to the cathode of the clamp diode. A first resistor is connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the NPN bipolar transistor. A first terminal of the second resistor is connected to the base of the PNP bipolar transistor. Either a third resistor is connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the PNP bipolar transistor, or a first terminal of the third resistor is connected to the emitter of the PNP bipolar transistor and the second terminal of the third resistor is connected to the second terminal of the second resistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor switch device includes a switchable power semiconductor and a control circuit. The semiconductor switch device has a current sink and a current amplifier designed to amplify during a switching process a partial current of the total current flowing across the control capacitor that is not discharged by the current sink up to an adjustable maximum current and to apply the amplified partial current to the control electrode of the power semiconductor so as to counteract the change in the voltage across the collector-emitter path or the drain-source path of the power semiconductor during the switching process. An additional circuit provides an adapted switch-on transition by smoothing the collector voltage and/or the drain voltage of the switchable power semiconductor when switching over the collector-emitter path or the drain-source path of the power semiconductor from a blocked state into a conductive state.

Abstract: A semiconductor switch device includes a switchable power semiconductor and a control circuit. The semiconductor switch device has a current sink and a current amplifier designed to amplify during a switching process a partial current of the total current flowing across the control capacitor that is not discharged by the current sink up to an adjustable maximum current and to apply the amplified partial current to the control electrode of the power semiconductor so as to counteract the change in the voltage across the collector-emitter path or the drain-source path of the power semiconductor during the switching process. An additional circuit provides an adapted switch-on transition by smoothing the collector voltage and/or the drain voltage of the switchable power semiconductor when switching over the collector-emitter path or the drain-source path of the power semiconductor from a blocked state into a conductive state.

Abstract: A protective circuit for a semiconductor switch includes a clamp diode, an NPN bipolar transistor, a PNP bipolar transistor, a capacitor connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the PNP bipolar transistor, and at least three resistors. The bipolar transistors are connected to a thyristor structure that is connected to the cathode of the clamp diode. A first resistor is connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the NPN bipolar transistor. A first terminal of the second resistor is connected to the base of the PNP bipolar transistor. Either a third resistor is connected in parallel with the base-emitter path of the PNP bipolar transistor, or a first terminal of the third resistor is connected to the emitter of the PNP bipolar transistor and the second terminal of the third resistor is connected to the second terminal of the second resistor.

Abstract: A protection circuit for a semiconductor switch has a gate that can be controlled by a gate driver. The protection circuit includes an integrator for detecting a gate charge of the gate and a comparator unit for switching off the semiconductor switch in dependence on the value of the gate charge relative to a reference charge.