A current regulated circuit arrangement for controlling a power semiconductor transistor, as example a MOSFET or IGBT power transistor, that includes at least two mirror-symmetrically arranged regulated power sources and an output voltage regulator. A first regulated power source is fed from an unregulated power source and controls the gate of the power transistor such that the power transistor is switched into the conductive state. A second regulated power source is fed from an unregulated power source and controls the gate of the power transistor such that the power transistor is switched into the non-conductive state. A voltage regulator or limiter limits the current at the gate of the power transistor to a operably suitable maximum value.
The invention relates to a gate control device 10 of a power semiconductor component 11 of the IGBT type. A ramp generator circuit 20 delivers a reference gate voltage at its output. A stage for the current amplification of the said reference voltage delivers a gate current to the IGBT component, this amplification stage comprising an ignition circuit 30 and a rapid extinction circuit 40. A slow extinction circuit 50 is connected between the gate G of the IGBT component and the output of the generator circuit. A circuit 60 for the detection of a collector-emitter voltage of the component is connected to a feedback circuit 70 delivering a feedback signal 71 that acts on the rapid extinction circuit 40 and on the output 22 of the generator circuit.
A drive circuit is provided for driving a voltage-driven semiconductor element by producing a drive signal depending upon an input signal. The drive circuit comprises an output stage and a current-suppressing circuit. The output stage includes two semiconductor elements connected in series. The voltage-driven semiconductor element is connected to a common connection point of the two semiconductor elements. The current-suppressing circuit controls one of the two semiconductor elements to provide an output current flowing through either one of the two semiconductor elements if a voltage applied to the voltage-driven semiconductor element reaches a limit level, which is in excess of a level for conducting the voltage-driven semiconductor element by a predetermined voltage.
There are provided: a voltage division circuit (13) that performs voltage division of the voltage applied between the main electrodes of a non-latching switching element (11) having two main electrodes and a single control electrode at voltage division elements (14a) to (14c); a control current source (16) that injects current at the control electrode in accordance with the divided voltage of main voltage detection voltage division elements, of the voltage division elements (14a) to (14c) of the voltage division circuit (13) and a voltage division ratio control circuit (20) that adjusts the voltage division ratio of the main voltage detection voltage division elements (14b), (14c) of the voltage division circuit (13) in accordance with a control signal for controlling the switching element (11).
