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Title: Transistorized power switch and base drive circuit therefore

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5555126

A high power switching circuit is disclosed which utilizes a four-terminal Darlington transistor block to improve switching speed, particularly in rapid turn-off. Two independent reverse drive currents are utilized during turn-off in order to expel the minority carriers of the Darlington pair at their own charge sweep-out rate. The reverse drive current may be provided by a current transformer, the secondary of which is tapped to the base terminal of the power stage of the Darlington block. In one application, the switching circuit is used in each power switching element in a chopper-inverter drive of an electric vehicle propulsion system.

Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
Application Number:
ON: DE82007297
OSTI ID:
5555126
Resource Relation:
Other Information: NASA case LEW-13,501-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English