Patent · US Active

DC/DC converter, power supply circuit, and semiconductor device

US8710762B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
42References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 2011
Grant dateApr 29, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 7, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B70/10
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Provided is a DC-DC converter with improved power conversion efficiency. A transistor which is incorporated in the DC-DC converter and functions as a switching element for controlling output power includes, in its channel formation region, a semiconductor material having a wide band gap and significantly small off current compared with silicon. The transistor further comprises a back gate electrode, in addition to a general gate electrode, and a back gate control circuit for controlling a potential applied to the back gate electrode in accordance with the output power from the DC-DC converter. The control of the potential applied to the back gate electrode by the back gate control circuit enables the threshold voltage to decrease the on-state resistance when the output power is high and to increase the off-state current when the output power is low.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.