Patent attributes
Disclosed herein are cascode switching circuits that include a normally-on semiconductor device, a normally-off semiconductor device, and a gate driver. The normally-on semiconductor device and said normally-off semiconductor device each has a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal. The gate driver has a first output and a second output, the first output of said gate driver is coupled to said gate terminal of said normally-on semiconductor device, the second output of said gate driver is coupled to said gate terminal of said normally-off semiconductor device, and the drain terminal of said normally-off semiconductor device is coupled to said source terminal of said normally-on semiconductor device so that a current path is formed through said normally-on semiconductor device and said normally-off semiconductor device. Methods of making and using such circuits, and other various aspects of such circuits are also disclosed.