Systems, circuits, devices, and methods with bidirectional bipolar transistors

摘要

Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.

主权项

1. A power-packet-switching power converter, comprising:
a plurality of phase legs which each include two bidirectional switches which can connect a respective external line to either side of a link inductor which is paralleled by a capacitor, each said bidirectional switch comprising: first and second first-conductivity-type emitter regions on opposing faces of a second-conductivity-type semiconductor mass, and first and second second-conductivity-type base contact regions, in proximity to said first and second emitter regions respectively; control circuitry which, repeatedly, turns on a selected one or two of said bidirectional switches to drive energy from one or more input lines into said inductor, and then turns off all of said switches to disconnect said inductor, and then turns on a different selected one or two of said bidirectional switches to drive energy from said inductor onto one or two output lines; and a drive circuit which, when the control circuitry selects one of said bidirectional switches for turn-on, drives the first and second base contact regions of that switch differently, to thereby permit current to flow in a predetermined direction between said first and second emitter regions on the opposing faces of said respective semiconductor mass; wherein the drive circuit applies sufficient current between to the selected base contact region and at least one said emitter region to generate a nonequilibrium carrier concentration, in the interior of said semiconductor mass, which is more than thirty times as great as the off-state equilibrium majority carrier concentration in the semiconductor mass, to thereby lower the voltage drop across the switch.