New isolated gate driver IC enables excellent power conversion density

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc has launched its new Power-Thru isolated gate driver (AHV85110). The new isolated gate driver, the first product introduced in the company's Power-Thru portfolio, produces a single-package solution that drives GaN FETs with up to a 50% smaller footprint and a 40% efficiency improvement compared to competitor offerings.

The global clean-energy movement needs power system designers in automotive and industrial markets to generate, store and use energy more efficiently. Wide-bandgap SiC and GaN FETs provide clear efficiency benefits at the system level but often come with integration challenges.

A traditional gate driver implementation needs an isolated gate driver and a separate isolated power supply. When assembled, connections between the driver, power source and FET can add unwanted noise and create EMI that can degrade performance. Mitigating these effects can produce design complexity, adding time and cost to a project schedule and size and weight to a solution.

This highly differentiated gate driver provides engineers and designers access to new, efficient, high-power, isolated gate-driving technologies that offer multiple system-level benefits. The new gate driver is innovative and unique, combining traditionally separate components – the isolated gate driver and the isolated power supply – into a single, compact, robust package. A perfect example of 'less is more', the company's platform minimises EMI pathways and simplifies integration, producing faster time to market, efficiency gains, and production cost savings.

"Our engineering team leveraged technology from our acquisition of Heyday Integrated Circuits to rapidly develop the first device in our new Power-Thru portfolio to help designers achieve their efficiency and power density goals in clean energy and e-Mobility systems," said Vijay Mangtani, vice president and general manager for High-Voltage Power at Allegro MicroSystems. "This new series of patented, industry-first solutions enables engineers to build smaller, more efficient systems while reducing time to market and maximising return on investment."