40 A Source and 30 A Sink, SiC Isolated Gate Driver with Slew-Rate Control and BISTs

The ADuM4177 is an advanced isolated gate driver that provides 5.7 kV RMS isolation employing Analog Devices, Inc., iCoupler® technology. The ADuM4177 provides 8.3 mm creepage in a 28-pin wide body SOIC package. The devices are suitable for applications that require insulation against working voltages of 1060 V RMS and 1500 V DC for the lifetime of the device. Combining high speed CMOS and monolithic transformer technology, these isolated gate drivers provide outstanding performance characteristics suitable for driving the demanding needs of high performance silicon carbide (SiC) switches. Serial-peripheral interface (SPI) communication allows for user-programmable operating modes and fault readback. Additional BISTs makes the ADuM4177 suitable for ASIL D systems.

The ADuM4177 operates with an input voltage range from 4.4 V to 7 V. The output voltages can operate with bipolar gate driver supply of 12 V to 23 V positive and −5 V to −3.25 V for the negative rail provided that the voltage across VDD2 and VSS2 is within 15 V to 23 V. Multiple programmable undervoltage lockout (UVLO) levels can be obtained through SPI communication with the gate driver. In comparison to gate drivers employing high voltage level translation methodologies, the ADuM4177 offers the benefit of true, galvanic isolation between the input and the output.

The ADuM4177 includes many advanced protection features such as the drain monitoring desaturation detection, an active short-circuit (ASC) operation, external temperature sensing, and both overvoltage protection (OVP) and undervoltage protection (UVP).

Adjustable slew-rate control is available to allow for faster edge transitions and higher efficiency when the system operating point can accommodate it. An external miller clamp allows for strong pulldown to prevent unintended miller injection induced turn on. The ADuM4177 can operate in a wide range of junction temperatures, from −40⁰C to +150⁰C.

As a result, the ADuM4177 provides reliable control over the switching characteristics of SiC switch configurations over a wide range of switching voltages.

APPLICATIONS

* SiC, MOSFET, IGBT gate drivers

* Electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) traction inverters

* Switching power supplies

* Industrial inverters

* Power factor correctors

* 40 A source, 30 A sink peak short-circuit (typical) drive output

* 20 A peak drive current (typical) in typical application

* Output power device resistance 0.38 Ω (typical) per channel

* 1500 V peak and DC working voltage to DIN EN IEC 60747-17

* Slew-rate control through SPI

* Low propagation delay (108 ns typical)

* 60 ns minimum pulse width

* Bipolar and Unipolar secondary side supply capability

* VDD1: 4.4 V to 7 V

* VDD2 to VSS2: 15 V to 23 V

* VDD2 to GND2: 12 V to 23 V

* VSS2 to GND2: −5 V to −3.25 V (Bipolar Supply Mode)

* VSS2 to GND2: 0 V (Unipolar Supply Mode)

* Protection Features:

* DESAT – SiC drain sense, 7 V (typical) threshold

* Programmable internal DESAT blanking time