Power mosfets with improved efficiency for multi-channel class d audio amplifiers and packaging therefor

Abstract

A stereo class-D audio system includes a first die including four monolithically integrated NMOS high-side devices and a second a second die including four monolithically integrated PMOS low-side devices. The audio system also includes a set of electrical contacts for connecting the high and low-side devices to components within the a stereo class-D audio system, the set of electrical contacts including at least one supply contact for connecting the drains of the high-side devices to a supply voltage (Vcc) and at least one ground contact for connecting the drains of the low-side devices to ground, the electrical contacts also including respective contacts for each source of the high and low-side devices allowing the source of each high-side device to be connected to the source of a respective low-side device to form two H-bridge circuits.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A stereo class-D audio amplifier comprising:
 a first conductive die pad having at least one supply contact to connect to a supply voltage;   a second conductive die pad having at least one ground contact to connect to a ground reference voltage; and   a plurality of half-bridge circuits, each respective half bridge circuit of the plurality of half-bridge circuits including a high-side vertical N-channel MOSFET formed on a first die and a low-side vertical P-channel MOSFET formed on a second die, an interconnection of the low-side vertical P-channel MOSFET and the high-side vertical N-channel MOSFET forming an output of the respective half-bridge circuit, a drain of the high-side vertical N-channel MOSFET of each of the plurality of half-bridge circuits being electrically connected to the first conductive die pad, and a drain of the low-side vertical P-channel MOSFET of each of the plurality of half-bridge circuits being electrically connected to the second conductive die pad.   
     
     
         3 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 2  wherein the high-side vertical N-channel MOSFET and the low-side vertical P-channel MOSFET of each of the plurality of half-bridge circuits is a DMOS MOSFET. 
     
     
         4 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of half-bridge circuits includes at least 4 half-bridge circuits. 
     
     
         5 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 4  wherein the stereo class-D audio amplifier is packaged in a single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 2  wherein each respective high-side vertical N-channel MOSFET and the corresponding low-side vertical P-channel MOSFET forms a complementary follower. 
     
     
         7 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of break-before-make buffers corresponding to each of the plurality of high-side vertical N-channel MOSFETs. 
     
     
         8 . The stereo class-D amplifier of  claim 7  wherein each respective break-before-make buffer is connected to a respective one of the plurality of high-side vertical N-channel MOSFETs and the corresponding low-side vertical P-channel MOSFETs. 
     
     
         9 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 2  wherein the first conductive die pad and the second conductive die pad have an H-shape. 
     
     
         10 . A stereo class-D audio amplifier comprising:
 a plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs;   a corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs corresponding to each high-side vertical power MOSFET of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs; and   an interconnection between each respective high-side vertical power MOSFET and the corresponding low-side vertical power MOSFET forming a respective half-bridge output of the stereo class-D audio amplifier, each of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs being formed on a first die and each of the corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs being formed on a second die, a drain of each of the high-side vertical power MOSFETs being electrically connected by a backside of the first die to a first single die pad, and a drain of each of the low-side vertical power MOSFETs being electrically connected by a backside of the second die to a second single die pad.   
     
     
         11 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  wherein each respective high-side vertical power MOSFET and the corresponding low-side vertical power MOSFET forms a complementary follower. 
     
     
         12 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 11  wherein each low-side vertical power MOSFET of the corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs is a P-channel MOSFET. 
     
     
         13 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 11  wherein each high-side vertical power MOSFET of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs is an N-channel MOSFET. 
     
     
         14 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs includes at least 4 MOSFETs and the corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs includes at least 4 MOSFETs. 
     
     
         15 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 14  wherein each low-side vertical power MOSFET of the corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs is a P-channel MOSFET and each high-side vertical power MOSFET of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs is an N-channel MOSFET. 
     
     
         16 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  wherein the stereo class-D audio amplifier is packaged in a single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The stereo class-D amplifier of  claim 10  wherein the first single die pad is electrically connected to at least one power supply contact. 
     
     
         18 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 17  wherein the second single die pad is electrically connected to at least one ground contact. 
     
     
         19 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  wherein the first single die pad and the second single die pad have an H-shape. 
     
     
         20 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  wherein each of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs and each of the corresponding plurality of low-side vertical power MOSFETs is a DMOS MOSFET. 
     
     
         21 . The stereo class-D audio amplifier of  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of break-before-make buffers corresponding to each of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs, each respective break-before-make buffer being connected to a respective one of the plurality of high-side vertical power MOSFETs and the corresponding low-side vertical power MOSFET.