New half-bridge gate driver raises robustness and efficiency in auto applications

Nexperia has introduced a new series of high-performance gate driver ICs for driving high and low-side N-channel MOSFETs in a synchronous buck or half-bridge configuration. These devices produce high current output and excellent dynamic performance, increasing efficiency and robustness in applications. The automotive-qualified NGD4300-Q100 is excellent for electronic power steering and power converters, while the NGD4300 has been created for use with DC-DC converters in consumer devices, servers and telecommunications equipment and for micro-inverters used in various industrial applications.

The floating high-side driver in these ICs can operate from bus voltages up to 120V and use a bootstrap supply with an integrated diode, features which simplify overall system design and help to decrease PCB size. They can deliver up to 4A (peak) source and 5A sink current to ensure short rise and fall times even for heavy loads. The gate driver has a low 13ns delay and offers excellent channel-to-channel delay matching of only 1ns. These delays are notably lower than for similar competing gate drivers and help to minimise dead-time by maximising switching duty-cycle. The 4ns rise and 3.5ns (typical) fall times help to provide higher efficiency and support high frequency and fast system control. These gate drivers accept input control signals complying with TTL and CMOS logic levels.

“These devices are the first in our new portfolio of high-performance half-bridge gate drivers” according to Irene Deng, general manager of the IC solutions business group at Nexperia. “This release demonstrates how Nexperia is using process innovation to respond to the burgeoning demand for robust gate drivers that can increase power converter efficiency while also delivering smoother motor control in consumer, industrial and automotive applications.”

For superior robustness in power conversion and motor driving applications, these ICs are fabricated using an SOI process. This allows the negative voltage tolerance of the HS pin to extend to -5 V, significantly reducing the risk of damage caused by system parasitic components and unexpected spikes. The NGD4300 and NGD4300-Q100 are available in DFN-8, SO-8 and HSO-8 packages to allow engineers to trade-off between device size and thermal performance, depending on application requirements.