Patent ID: 7382116
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: G05F

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor device, comprising: an upper semiconductor switching element having a first control terminal to receive a first control voltage applied thereto and operative to switch between a conductive state and a non-conductive state when said first control voltage varies from “H” level to “L” level or from “L” level to “H” level; a lower semiconductor switching element serially connected to said upper semiconductor switching element at a node, and having a second control terminal to receive a second control voltage applied thereto and operative to switch between the conductive state and the non-conductive state when said second control voltage varies; and a controller operative to control levels of said first control voltage and said second control voltage to alternately turn on said upper semiconductor switching element and said lower semiconductor switching element, wherein said controller controls an absolute value of said second control voltage so as to reach a mean voltage lower than an absolute value of a threshold voltage of said lower semiconductor switching element and higher than a ground voltage, said threshold voltage being a minimum gate-source voltage needed to switch on the lower semiconductor switching element, and keeps applying said mean voltage to said second control terminal during a transition period that begins before a logical transition of the first control voltage between “H” level and “L” level, and ends after the logical transition of the first control voltage between “H” level and “L” level.