Isolated Gate Driver from STMicroelectronics Safely Controls Silicon-Carbide MOSFETs

Joining STMicroelectronics’ STGAP family of isolated gate drivers, the STGAP2SiCS is optimized for safe control of silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and operates from a high-voltage rail up to 1200V.

Capable of producing a gate-driving voltage up to 26V, the STGAP2SiCS has a raised Under-Voltage Lockout (UVLO) threshold of 15.5V to meet the turn-on requirements of SiC MOSFETs. If the driving voltage is too low, which can be caused by low supply voltage, the UVLO ensures the MOSFET is turned off to prevent excessive dissipation. The driver features dual input pins that let designers determine the gate-drive signal polarity.

With 6kV of galvanic isolation between the input section and the gate-driving output, the STGAP2SiCS helps ensure safety in consumer and industrial applications. Its 4A output-sink/source capability is suited to mid- and high-power convertors, power supplies, and inverters in equipment such as high-end home appliances, industrial drives, fans, induction heaters, welders, and UPSes.

Two different output configurations are available. One has separate output pins that allow independent optimization of turn-on and turn-off times using a dedicated gate resistor. The second is featured for high-frequency hard switching, with a single output pin and active Miller clamp that limits oscillation of the SiC MOSFET gate-source voltage to prevent unwanted turn-on and enhance reliability. The input circuitry is compatible with CMOS/TTL logic down to 3.3V, which allows easy interfacing with a wide variety of control ICs.

The STGAP2SiCS features a standby mode that helps cut system power consumption, as well as built-in protection including hardware interlocks to prevent cross conduction and thermal shutdown of both the low-voltage section and the high-voltage driving channel. Matched propagation delays between the low-voltage and high-voltage sections prevent cycle distortion and minimize energy losses. The total delay is less than 75ns, permitting accurate pulse-width modulation (PWM) control up to high switching frequencies.

Housed in a wide-body SO-8W package that ensures 8mm creepage within a compact footprint, the STGAP2SiCS is available now priced at $2.00 in quantities of 1000 units.

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