Patent ID: 9735238
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: H01L,H02M,H03K,Y02B

Claim:
1. A cascode switching device including: a high voltage, normally-on transistor formed of silicon carbide or a nitride of a Group III material, said high voltage, normally-on transistor having a switching threshold voltage, a drain-source parasitic capacitance, a gate-source parasitic capacitance and a gate-drain parasitic capacitance; a control transistor for controlling conduction of said high voltage, normally-on transistor, said control transistor having an avalanche breakdown threshold voltage, a drain-source parasitic capacitance, a gate-source parasitic capacitance and a gate-drain parasitic capacitance; and a charge balancing capacitor directly and continuously connected to a first node connecting a source terminal of said high voltage, normally-on transistor and a drain terminal of said control transistor, the first node to be in series with said drain-source parasitic capacitance of said high voltage normally-on transistor, the charge balancing capacitor being directly and continuously connected to a second node connecting a source terminal of said control transistor and a gate terminal of said high voltage, normally on transistor, the charge balancing capacitor further directly connected in parallel with a parallel connection of said gate-source parasitic capacitance of said high voltage, normally-on transistor and said drain-source parasitic capacitance of said control transistor to form a capacitive voltage divider, said charge balancing capacitor having a value such that: