Scale-iDriver for SiC MOSFETs are AEC-Q100-qualified
Power Integrations has announced that its SiC118xKQ Scale-iDriver gate driver for SiC MOSFETs is certified for automotive use. The single-channel gate driver for silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs is certified to AEC-Q100.
The SIC1182KQ and SIC1181KQ gate drivers can be configured to support gate-drive voltage requirements of commonly used SiC MOSFETs. The 1,200V SIC1182KQ and 750V SIC1181KQ are optimised for driving SiC MOSFETs in automotive applications, exhibiting rail-to-rail output, fast gate switching speed, unipolar supply voltage supporting positive and negative output voltages, integrated power and voltage management and reinforced isolation.
Critical safety features include drain to source voltage (VDS) monitoring, SENSE readout, primary and secondary under-voltage lock-out (UVLO), current-limited gate drive and advanced active clamping (AAC) for safe operation and soft turn-off -under fault conditions. AAC in combination with VDS monitoring ensures safe turn-off in less than two microseconds during short-circuit conditions, adds Power Integrations. Gate-drive control and AAC features allow gate resistance to be minimised; this reduces switching losses to maximise inverter efficiency.
Pairing the Scale-iDriver control and safety features with Power Integrations high-speed FluxLink communication technology is claimed to dramatically improve isolation capability, compared with opto-, capacitive- or Si- isolated magnetic couplers. It is also claimed to enable safe, cost-effective designs for inverters with very few external components up to 300kW.
The single-channel SIC118xKQ gate drivers provide up to 8.0A and suit SiC MOSFETs with standard gate-emitter voltages from 15V, with various negative voltages in the range from -3.0 to -15V.
Devices exhibit high external magnetic field immunity and are available in a compact eSOP package that provides more than 9.5mm of creepage and clearance, using material that has the highest comparative tracking index (CTI) level (CTI =600 per IEC 60112). They are available now from Power Integrations.
Power Integrations specialises in semiconductor technologies for high-voltage power conversion. The company’s products are used in the clean-power ecosystem, enabling the generation of renewable energy as well as the efficient transmission and consumption of power in applications ranging from mW to MW.
