First isolated gate drivers with integrated sensing for IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs

New gate drivers from TI provide advanced monitoring and protection while improving total system efficiency in automotive and industrial applications

Texas Instruments introduced several new isolated gate drivers that provide unparalleled levels of monitoring and protection for high-voltage systems. The UCC21710-Q1 and UCC21732-Q1 and UCC21750 enable designers to create smaller, more efficient and higher-performing designs in traction inverters, onboard chargers, solar inverters and motor drives.

The devices are the industry’s first to offer integrated sensing features for insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) to simplify designs and enable greater system reliability in applications operating up to 1.5 KVRMS. With integrated components, the devices provide fast detection time to protect against overcurrent events while ensuring safe system shutdown.

Utilizing capacitive isolation technology, the UCC21710-Q1, UCC21732-Q1 and UCC21750 maximize insulation barrier lifetimes while providing high reinforced isolation ratings, fast data speeds and high-density packaging.

System robustness is becoming an increasing challenge in high-voltage motor drive and power delivery applications,” said Steve Lambouses, vice president, TI High-Voltage Power. “These new gate drivers using TI’s isolation technology, combined with the other integrated features and support, can enable engineers to more quickly ramp to production reliable systems, while minimizing space and cost.

Key features and benefits of TI’s UCC21710-Q1, UCC21732-Q1 and UCC21750 products

  • Enhanced system performance: The new isolated gate drivers’ high peak drive strength of ±10 A maximize switching behavior and reduce losses, while 200 ns of overcurrent detection enables fast system protection.
  • Strengthened system-level reliability: The UCC217xx family extends insulation barrier lifetimes with capacitive isolation technology and industry-leading reinforced isolation ratings with surge immunity up to 12.8 kV. Additionally, the devices ensure accurate data communication with common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of  more than 150 V/ns.
  • Reduced system size: The gate drivers eliminate external components with integrated buffers and sensors while providing accurate temperature, current or voltage sensing, with an isolated analog-to-pulse-width modulation sensor to simplify system-level diagnostics and prevent switch failures.