Compact, efficient gate drivers ensure system safety

Power Integrations has launched its automotive-qualified SID1181KQ SCALE-iDriver gate driver for 750V-rated IGBTs. The new part extends the company’s range of auto-qualified driver ICs, following on from the introduction of the 1200V SID1182KQ driver IC.

Compact, efficient and extremely robust, the new driver IC uses the company's high-speed FluxLink communications technology to secure system safety even through fault conditions. FluxLink technology significantly improves the reliability and isolation ability of the new gate drivers, replacing optocouplers and capacitive or silicon-based inductively coupled solutions. The devices also incorporate critical protection features including desaturation monitoring, primary and secondary UVLO and ASSD that protect the switch throughout short-circuit turn-off.

Comments Michael Hornkamp, senior director of marketing for automotive gate-driver products at Power Integrations: “The SCALE-iDriver family with FluxLink technology supports safe, cost-effective designs for a wide range of IGBT drivers for electric vehicle applications including powertrain, on-board chargers and charger stations, and other high-reliability drivers and inverters.”

The ICs reduce the number of external components needed, excluding tantalum and electrolytic capacitors and simplifying the isolated power supply, needing only one transformer secondary winding. A simple two-layer PCB can be employed, further developing design simplicity and easing supply-chain management.