Microchip adds mSiC gate driver
Device designed to accelerate the adoption of high-voltage SiC power modules
Microchip Technology has introduced the 3.3 kV XIFM plug-and-play mSiC gate driver with patented Augmented Switching technology, which is designed to work out-of-the-box with preconfigured module settings to significantly reduce design and evaluation time of SiC-based power modules.
The XIFM digital gate driver is a compact solution that features digital control, an integrated power supply and a robust fibre-optic interface to improve noise immunity. The gate driver has preconfigured 'turn-on/off' gate drive profiles that are tailored to optimise module performance.
The driver also incorporates 10.2 kV primary-to-secondary reinforced isolation with built-in monitoring and protection functions including temperature and DC link monitoring, Undervoltage Lockout (UVLO), Overvoltage Lockout (OVLO), short-circuit/overcurrent protection (DESAT) and Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC). The driver also complies with EN 50155, a key specification for railway applications.
“As the SiC market continues to grow and push the boundaries of higher voltage, Microchip makes it easier for power system developers to adopt wide-bandgap technology with turnkey solutions like our 3.3 kV plug-and-play mSiC gate driver,” said Clayton Pillion, vice president of Microchip’s SiC business unit. "By having the gate drive circuitry preconfigured, this solution can reduce design cycle time by up to 50 percent compared to a traditional analogue solution.”
