US 12,438,535 B2
System and methods for motor drive using GAN synchronous rectification
Santosh Sharma, Austin, TX (US); Thomas Ribarich, Laguna Beach, CA (US); Matteo Uccelli, Milan (IT); and Victor Sinow, Fresno, CA (US)
Assigned to Navitas Semiconductor Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed by Navitas Semiconductor Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/189,123.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/323,442, filed on Mar. 24, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0308091 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. H03K 17/06 (2006.01); H03K 17/10 (2006.01)
CPC H03K 17/102 (2013.01) [H03K 17/063 (2013.01); H03K 2217/0063 (2013.01); H03K 2217/0072 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
14. A method of operating a motor drive circuit, the method comprising:
providing a half-bridge circuit including:
a high-side gallium nitride (GaN) switch having a first gate terminal, a first drain terminal and a first source terminal; and
a low-side GaN switch having a second gate terminal, a second drain terminal and a second source terminal, wherein the first drain terminal is coupled to a power supply, the first source terminal is coupled to the second drain terminal at an output node and the second source terminal is coupled to a ground;
providing a motor coupled to the output node;
turning on the high-side GaN switch such that a first current flows through the motor;
turning off the high-side GaN switch;
turning on the low-side GaN switch when a voltage between the second drain terminal and the second source terminal drops below a predetermined threshold voltage; and
turning off the low-side GaN switch when the voltage between the second drain terminal and the second source terminal exceeds the predetermined threshold voltage.