Power semiconductor device having plurality of switching elements connected in parallel

摘要

A power semiconductor device includes first and second power semiconductor elements connected in parallel to each other and a drive control unit. The drive control unit turns on or off each of the first and second power semiconductor elements in response to an ON instruction and an OFF instruction repeatedly received from outside. Specifically, the drive control unit can switch between a case where the first and second power semiconductor elements are simultaneously turned on and a case where one of the first and second power semiconductor elements is turned on first and thereafter the other thereof is turned on, in response to the ON instruction. The drive control unit turns off one of the first and second power semiconductor elements first and thereafter turns off the other thereof, in response to the OFF instruction.

主权项

1. A power semiconductor device, comprising:
first and second power semiconductor elements connected in parallel to each other; and a drive control unit for turning on or off each of said first and second power semiconductor elements in response to an ON instruction and an OFF instruction repeatedly received from outside, said drive control unit being capable of switching between a case where said first and second power semiconductor elements are simultaneously turned on and a case where one of said first and second power semiconductor elements is turned on first and thereafter the other thereof is turned on, in response to said ON instruction, and said drive control unit being capable of switching between a case where said first and second power semiconductor elements are simultaneously turned off and a case where one of said first and second power semiconductor elements is turned off first and thereafter the other thereof is turned off, in response to said OFF instruction, the power semiconductor device further comprising a current detection portion for detecting a current that flows through at least one of, or a sum of currents that flow through both of, said first and second power semiconductor elements, wherein said drive control unit performs a determination operation for comparing a current detection value obtained by said current detection portion when said first and second power semiconductor elements are turned on in response to said ON instruction with a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than said first threshold value, said drive control unit turns on one of said first and second power semiconductor elements first and thereafter turns on the other thereof in response to said ON instruction received during a period until next said determination operation and turns off one of said first and second power semiconductor elements first and thereafter turns off the other thereof in response to said OFF instruction received during a period until next said determination operation, when said current detection value is equal to or smaller than said first threshold value, said drive control unit simultaneously turns on said first and second power semiconductor elements in response to said ON instruction received during a period until next said determination operation and turns off one of said first and second power semiconductor elements first and thereafter turns off the other thereof in response to said OFF instruction received during a period until next said determination operation, when said current detection value is greater than said first threshold value and is equal to or smaller than said second threshold value, and said drive control unit simultaneously turns on said first and second power semiconductor elements in response to said ON instruction received during a period until next said determination operation and simultaneously turns off said first and second power semiconductor elements in response to said OFF instruction received during a period until next said determination operation when said current detection value exceeds said second threshold value.