STMicroelectronics STGAP2SiCS isolated gate driver

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STMicroelectronics’ STGAP2SiCS is an isolated gate driver that has been optimised for safe control of silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and operates from a high-voltage rail up to 1200 V.

Capable of producing a gate-driving voltage up to 26 V, the product has a raised undervoltage-lockout (UVLO) threshold of 15.5 V 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 6 kV of galvanic isolation between the input section and the gate-driving output, the device is designed to provide safety in consumer and industrial applications. Its 4 A 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 optimisation 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. The input circuitry is compatible with CMOS/TTL logic down to 3.3 V, which allows easy interfacing with a wide variety of control ICs.

The driver 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 minimise energy losses. The total delay is less than 75 ns, permitting pulse-width modulation (PWM) control up to high switching frequencies.

The product is housed in a wide-body SO-8W package that provides 8 mm creepage within a compact footprint.

For more information: www.st.com/stdrive.